r 


EXTRACTS  FROM 
LETTERS 

TO 

A.  B.  T. 

FROM 

EDWARD  P.  WILLIAMS 

DURING  HIS  SERVICE    IN    THE    CIVIL  WAR 
1862-1864 


NEW  YORK 

FOR   PRIVATE  DISTRIBUTION 
1903 


V- 


INTRODUCTORY  NOTE. 

About  three  years  ago  I  had  occasion  to 
examine  some  boxes  of  old  papers.  In  one  of 
them  I  found  several  packages  of  my  own  let 
ters,  written  during  my  term  of  army-service. 
Up  to  that  time  I  was  not  aware  of  their 
preservation.  After  the  birth  of  my  son, 
Richard  Everard,  in  January,  1902,  it  oc 
curred  to  me  that  I  ought  to  print,  for  his 
benefit,  some  extracts  from  these  letters,  so 
that,  in  later  years,  he  might  learn  from  them 
something  of  the  part,  insignificant  though 
it  was,  I  had  taken  in  the  Civil  War,  nearly 
forty  years  before  he  was  born.  This  little 
book  is  the  result. 

E.  P.  W. 

New  York,  November,  1903. 


JVJ198606 


FORT  WAYNE,  IND.,  AUG.  29,  1862. 
Yesterday  I  received  a  dispatch  from  In 
dianapolis  saying  that  Governor  Morton  had 
appointed  me  first  lieutenant  and  adjutant  of  the 
One-hundredth  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry. 
My  commission  will  come  in  a  few  days.  The 
(adjutancy  is  a  very  good  position,  and  I  am 
better  qualified  for  it  than  for  anything  else. 
No  colonel  has  yet  been  appointed. 

FORT  WAYNE,  IND.,  SEPT.  1,  1862. 
Have  been  in  camp  three  days  attending  to 
duties.  My  commission  came  last  Saturday. 
I  am  the  only  officer  of  the  regiment  yet  ap 
pointed  and  commissioned.  No  one  knows 
who  is  to  be  our  colonel. 

FORT  WAYNE,  IND.,  SEPT.  6,  1862. 
I  understand  Governor  Morton  has  deter 
mined  to  send  no  more  troops  out  of  the  State 

5 


until  they  are  well  drilled.  If  this  is  true,  our 
regiment  may  be  in  the  State  some  time  yet. 
We  may  go  to  Indianapolis  Saturday  night,  to 
be  drilled,  clothed  and  armed.  We  have  only 
six  hundred  men  now  in  camp.  Have  no  idea 
who  will  be  our  field  officers. 

FORT  WAYNE,  IND.,  SEPT.  7,  1862. 
A  dispatch,  received  to-day,  says  we  must 
be  in  Indianapolis  by  daylight  to-morrow. 
We  leave  to-night.  Have  only  six  hundred 
men,  however.  Whether  they  will  give  us 
time  there  to  recruit  a  full  regiment,  or  consoli 
date  us  with  others,  I  do  not  know.  Brother 
Henry's  battery  (Eleventh  Indiana)  has  re 
turned  to  Nashville. 

CAMP  MORTON,  INDIANAPOLIS, 

SEPT.  10,  1862. 

Wrote  you  on  Sunday  before  leaving  home. 
Have  had  no  time  since  to  write,  being  so  ex 
ceedingly  busy  in  arranging  our  camp  and  get 
ting  things  in  order.  We  are  in  the  old  camp 
ground  of  the  Confederate  prisoners,  which 
they  left  in  a  very  filthy  condition,  and  we 
have,  therefore,  lots  of  work  to  do  to  set 
things  right. 

No  more  officers  appointed,  except  the  quar- 
6 


termaster,  A.  M.  Tucker,  from  Elkhart 
county,  a  very  gentlemanly  and  clever  young 
man,  who  will  make  good  company.  Since 
coming  here  I  have  virtually  been  in  command 
of  our  camp. 

We  are  to  be  mustered  in  to-morrow,  and 
Captain  Hough  of  the  Regular  Army  has  been 
appointed  to  take  charge  of,  and  drill,  us  be 
fore  going  into  the  field.  There  is  no  telling 
how  soon  we  may  be  ordered  away.  We  are 
trying  hard  to  remain  until  we  are  well  drilled, 
and  until  the  other  four  companies  are  recruit 
ed,  but  I  am  afraid  the  exigency  of  the  times 
will  not  permit  us  to  stay  so  long.  So  far,  I 
like  the  life  very  well,  notwithstanding  we  left 
Fort  Wayne  in  a  terribly  disheartening  rain. 
Have  very  cold  nights,  and  in  the  confusion  of 
moving  camp,  none  too  much  to  eat.  Still  I 
get  along  first-rate.  Am  kept  quite  busy. 

Have  seen  none  of  my  friends  in  Indian 
apolis  yet.  We  are  fully  two  miles  from  the 
business  part  of  the  city.  Have  been  in  two  or 
three  times,  but  only  on  business  for  the  regi 
ment. 

Saw  my  cousin  John  Ball  yesterday.  He  is 
just  from  Kentucky.  Was  Col.  Topping's  or 
derly,  fought  at  Richmond,  Ky.,  was  taken 


prisoner  and  paroled.     Was  here  yesterday  on 
his  way  home  (Terre  Haute). 

CAMP  MORTON,  INDIANAPOLIS, 

SEPT.  12,  1862. 

I  am  rushed  with  business,  having  the  work 
of  several  officers  to  do,  and  we  are  much 
cramped  for  quarters — four  of  us  in  a  very 
small  and  leaky  shanty.  We  are  doing  finely 
in  camp,  all  happy  and  contented — the  best  lot 
of  men  I  ever  saw  together.  They  govern 
themselves  and  need  but  little  watching.  No 
more  officers  appointed  since  my  last  letter. 
There  is  every  prospect  of  our  being  here  an 
other  week.  Governor  Morton  and  most  of 
our  military  men  are  now  in  Cincinnati,  look 
ing  after  matters  there. 

Have  been  in  the  city  every  day,  but  on  busi 
ness  only.  To-day,  for  the  first  time,  took  oc 
casion  to  call  upon  the  Hears  and  the  Sheets 
families. 

Took  a  severe  cold  the  first  night  I  spent  in 
this  camp,  the  blankets  sent  out  to  us  being  a 
little  bit  damp.  Am  getting  over  it  now. 

Father,  when  here,  looked  at  several  horses 
for  me,  but  none  suited.  He  went  night  before 
last  to  Goshen  to  buy  a  horse,  which  has  been 

8 


very  highly  recommended.  May  possibly  have 
it  to-morrow.  I  need  a  horse  very  much,  hav 
ing-  to  take  in  my  report  (two  miles)  every 
day. 

Nothing  later  from  Col.  Link.  He  was  se 
verely  wounded  and  taken  prisoner  at  Rich 
mond,  Ky.,  and  is  at  the  house  of  a  wealthy 
Union  man.  We  are  expecting  in  a  day  or 
two,  in  our  camp,  about  fifteen  hundred  of  our 
men,  paroled  prisoners,  from  the  Richmond 
fight,  a  great  many  of  Col.  Link's  men  among 
them.  I  suppose  you  know  that  Captain 
George  Nelson  and  Adjutant  Jared  Bond  are 
safe. 

CAMP  MORTON,  INDIANAPOLIS, 

.SEPT.  25,  1862. 

We  have  now  lively  times  in  camp,  having 
over  three  thousand  troops,  among  whom  is 
the  remnant  of  the  Twelfth  Indiana  (Col. 
Link's).  Adjutant  Bond,  Captain  Nelson,  and 
Lieutenant  Godown  are  here.  Since  the  Louis 
ville  scare  has  passed,  we  have  a  good  prospect 
of  being  here  two  weeks  longer.  Day  before 
yesterday  had  another  company  mustered  into 
our  regiment,  making  now  seven  full  com 
panies.  We  are  expecting  every  day  to  be 
9 


filled  up  with  odd  companies,   and  that  our 
field  officers  will  then  be  appointed. 

Col.  Link's  funeral  took  place  yesterday  in 
Fort  Wayne. 

CAMP  MORTON,  INDIANAPOLIS, 

OCT.  3,  1862. 

Three  companies  were  assigned  to  our  regi 
ment  to-day,  which  makes  us  full,  but  our  offi 
cers  have  not  yet  been  appointed,  and  will  not 
be  until  the  return  of  Governor  Morton,  who 
left  last  night  for  Washington.  Will  return 
in  about  ten  days. 

I  enclose  a  newspaper  account  of  our  review 
last  Wednesday.  Everything  passed  off  ad 
mirably,  but  I  assure  you  I  was  very  tired. 
Was  in  the  saddle  two  hours  in  the  morning, 
and  from  one  o'clock  until  half  after  six  in  the 
afternoon — a  pretty  good  ride  for  one  not  ac 
customed  to  it.  I  was  out  in  my  full  dress  suit, 
the  first  occasion  I  had  to  make  use  of  it.  My 
horse  took  cold  from  being  overheated,  and 
was  quite  sick  yesterday.  Is  much  better  to 
day. 

CAMP  MORTON,  INDIANAPOLIS, 

OCT.  5,  1862. 

Nothing  new  in  the  regiment.     Have  now 
ten  companies,  numbering  nine  hundred  and 
10 


fourteen  men,  and  they  are  about  equipped  with 
every  thing  necessary  for  a  march,  except  field 
officers. 

There  was  preaching  this  evening,  but  none 
during  the  day,  the  men  having  been  kept  busy 
cleaning  up  the  grounds.  The  whole  camp 
(thirty  acres)  was  swept  thoroughly.  I  do  not 
approve  of  making  the  men  work  so  much  on 
Sunday.  Have  not  been  to  church  for  two 
weeks,  nor  been  out  of  camp  since  Thursday. 

My  horse  is  entirely  well.  Dr.  McKinney, 
the  former  owner,  was  here  Saturday.  He 
says  the  horse's  name  is  "Bill." 

CAMP  MORTON,  INDIANAPOLIS, 

Nov.  2,  1862. 

On  Friday  all  the  troops  about  here  were 
mustered  for  pay.  When  we  shall  receive  the 
pay  is  another  matter.  We  hope  to  have  it 
soon,  before  we  move.  There  has  been  some 
talk  about  moving  us  this  week,  but  there  is 
no  certainty  in  regard  to  it.  We  are  all  getting 
tired  of  Camp  Morton  duty,  which  is  now  prin 
cipally  holding  in  check  the  rebellious  among 
the  paroled  prisoners,  three  thousand  of  whom 
have  lately  come  into  our  camp.  We  are  anx- 
11 


ious  too  to  join  our  four  companies  now  in 
Kentucky,  so  that  we  may  drill  together. 

Mr.  Case,  you  probably  know,  has  declined 
his  appointment  (colonel). 

Mr.  Peter  P.  Bailey  was  down  to  see  us  yes 
terday.  Sarah  Mears  and  her  brother  drove 
down  and  made  me  a  call  on  Wednesday. 

I  am  fast  making  a  reputation  for  sobriety 
and  reliability  by  my  oft  repeated  refusals  to 
drink.  I  make  no  boast  of  my  teetotalism  and 
no  effort  to  make  my  sentiments  known,  yet 
my  friends  are  learning  that  it  is  of  little  use 
to  urge  me  to  "take  something."  Not  a  game 
of  cards  have  I  played,  nor  drank  a  glass  of 
liquor  since  coming  into  camp. 

CAMP  MORTON,  INDIANAPOLIS, 

Nov.  9,  1862. 

We  were  all  paid  off  yesterday,  and  had  our 
guns  exchanged  for  splendid  Enfield  rifles,  the 
best  gun  I  ever  saw. 

To-day  the  four  river  companies  moved  out 
side  in  tents.  As  soon  as  we  receive  the  full 
complement  of  tents  for  the  regiment,  we  shall 
be  ready  to  leave. 

Rev.  Mr.  Munn  has  been  appointed  Chap 
lain,  and  will  be  with  us  on  Tuesday.  Am 
12 


sorry  to  say  we  know  no  Sunday  here.  It  is 
hard  work  every  day.  Never  in  all  my  life 
has  time  passed  so  rapidly  as  here.  I  am  busy 
with  something  pertaining  to  the  regiment  all 
the  time. 

When  father  was  here  we  called  upon  Gen 
eral  Morris.  He  was  then  undecided  as  to  ac 
cepting  the  commission  of  major-general.  He 
promised  me  a  staff  appointment  in  case  he  ac 
cepted.  Since  then,  as  you  have  seen  in  the 
newspapers,  he  has  declined  the  promotion  to 
major-general. 

Saw  General  Buell  on  the  street  yesterday. 

My  pay  for  two  months  and  five  days,  to 
Oct.  31,  was  two  hundred  and  fifty-eight  dol 
lars. 

Enclosed  is  a  copy  of  letter,  received  yester 
day,  from  Major-General  Love.  It  was  unso 
licited  and  entirely  unexpected. 

HEADQUARTERS,  INDIANAPOLIS, 

Nov.  8,  1862. 
Lieut.  E.  P.  Williams, 

Adjt.  looth  Reg.  Incl.  Vols. 
Sir, 

As  your  regiment  is  about  to  take  the  field, 
it  is  due  to  you  to  say,  and  I  take  pleasure  in 
saying  it,  that  for  the  two  months  you  have 
13 


been  in  camp  here,  under  by  immediate  su 
pervision,  you  have  discharged  the  duties  of 
your  office  faithfully  and  efficiently ;  that  those 
duties  have  been  more  than  usually  responsible, 
growing  out  of  the  fact  that  for  the  greater 
part  of  the  time,  since  the  organization  of  your 
regiment,  there  has  been  no  field  officer  on 
duty.  With  every  wish  for  your  success, 
I  am  Very  respectfully 

JOHN  LOVE, 
MAJ.  GENL.  IND.  LEGION. 

CAIRO,  ILLS.,  Nov.  13,  1862. 

ON  BOARD  STEAMER  IOWA. 

Left  Indianapolis  Tuesday  night  at  8  o'clock. 
Came  through  to  this  place  without  change  of 
cars,  arriving  at  3  o'clock  this  morning.  All 
baggage  is  loaded,  and  we  are  off  for  Mem 
phis  in  an  hour.  Are  to  report  there  to  Major 
General  McClernand.  Expect  to  be  in  Mem 
phis  Saturday  morning.  Father  and  mother 
were  in  Indianapolis  to  see  me,  for  two  days 
just  prior  to  the  regiment's  departure. 

MEMPHIS,  TENN.,  Nov.  17,  1862. 
I  dropped  you  a  few  lines  from  Cairo,  and  then 
expected  to  reach  this  place  Saturday  morning. 
Did  not  arrive,  however,  until  Sunday  morn 
ing  at  9  o'clock.     The  day  was  taken  up  with 

14 


moving,  preparing  the  ground,  and  pitching 
our  tents.  Nor  was  our  work  finished  many 
hours  too  soon,  as  it  began  to  rain  about  dark, 
and  has  continued,  at  intervals,  until  now,  with 
every  prospect  of  another  wet  day  to-morrow. 
Our  camp-ground,  on  a  clay  bluff,  about  a  half 
mile  below  the  steamboat  landing,  is  now 
ankle-deep  in  mud. 

The  weather  was  delightful  during  our 
whole  trip.  There  were  no  accidents  and  ev 
erything  passed  off  pleasantly.  Owing  to  the 
very  low  stage  of  water,  we  were  obliged  to 
proceed  cautiously  and  tie  up  at  night.  Three 
nights  were  thus  spent  upon  the  river.  Several 
times  we  ran  aground,  and  at  one  shoal  place 
(Saturday  morning)  were  obliged  to  disem 
bark  the  regiment  on  the  Arkansas  shore,  and 
march  it  some  two  miles  down  the  river,  and 
there  wait  for  the  boat  to  worry  its  way 
through.  At  this  point  we  left  the  Continental, 
a  large  side-wheel  steamer,  drawing  much 
more  water  than  our  boat.  It  had  on  board  the 
Thirty-first  Iowa,  and  had  been  more  than  two 
weeks  making  its  way  from  Davenport.  In 
some  places  there  was  barely  five  feet  of  water 
in  the  channel. 

Troops  are  pouring  in  fast.  Two  regiments 
15 


carne  just  before  us,  one  just  after,  and  an 
other  to-day.  General  McClernand  is  not  here. 
I  went  with  Lieutenant-Colonel  Heath,  im 
mediately  upon  our  arrival,  to  report  to  Gen 
eral  Sherman.  He  assigned  us  at  once  to  the 
Second  Brigade,  Colonel  McDowell,  Sixth 
Iowa,  commanding,  in  General  Denver's  divi 
sion.  Our  brigade  is  made  up  of  the  Sixth 
Iowa,  Fortieth  Illinois,  Forty-sixth  Ohio,  Thir 
teenth  Regulars,  and  One-hundredth  Indiana. 
Our  regiment  is  the  largest,  the  others  averag 
ing  between  five  and  six  hundred  only. 

Our  destination  is  Vicksburg,  overland 
route,  I  suppose,  as  we  can  hardly  afford  to 
await  a  rise  in  the  river  sufficient  for  trans 
porting  us.  The  river  is  falling  at  the  rate  of 
six  inches  per  day.  When  we  move,  we  will 
be  allowed  but  seven  wagons  to  the  whole  regi 
ment.  The  men  must  leave  their  tents  and 
knapsacks.  Only  four  wall-tents  for  field 
and  staff  officers  will  be  allowed.  The  au 
thorities  are  determined  that  we  shall  move 
fact,  and  not  be  encumbered  with  long  bag 
gage-trains. 

Memphis  is  a  pretty  place,  but  everything  is 
held  at  four  prices,  except  negroes,  who  com 
mand  no  price  whatever. 

16 


Lieutenant-Colonel  Heath  is  highly  pleased 
with  our  Chaplain,  Mr.  Munn,  and  compli 
ments  him  highly.  He  (Munn)  is  becoming 
a  great  favorite  with  the  men,  owing  to  his 
constant  attention  to  the  sick  upon  the  steam 
er.  The  captain  and  clerk  of  the  Iowa  told 
Colonel  Heath  that  he  was  the  best  chaplain 
they  had  ever  seen. 

Before  leaving  Indianapolis,  General  Mor 
ris  gave  me  a  very  flattering  letter  to  General 
Reynolds,  as  did  also  Mr.  Jackson,  a  friend  of 
General  Reynolds.  Genl.  Love,  a  copy  .of 
whose  letter  I  sent  you,  is  quite  intimate  with 
General  Reynolds,  and  it  is  possible  he  may 
speak  a  good  word  for  me. 

MEMPHIS,  TENN.,  Nov.  25,  1862. 

We  are  all  very  busy  to-day,  having  received 
marching  orders  for  to-morrow  at  8  o'clock 
A.  M.  We  go  south  to  Grenada,  thence  on  to 
Jackson,  Miss.  The  plan  is  to  take  Vicksburg 
by  taking  Jackson  and  cutting  off  supplies,  in 
the  same  way  that  Columbus,  Ky.  was  taken 
by  the  fall  of  Fort  Donelson  and  Nashville. 
The  whole  force  is  under  marching  orders. 
With  General  Grant's  army  at  Grand  Junction, 
ours  here,  and  another  large  force  at  Helena, 
17 


it  is  expected  that  we  shall  be  able  to  sweep  ev 
erything  before  us  to  the  Gulf,  literally  clear 
ing  out  the  Mississippi  valley.  We  leave  all 
our  sick  behind,  and  those  who  are  likely  to 
drop  by  the  way.  Take  only  shelter  tents, 
though  there  is  word  this  morning  that  we 
cannot  be  furnished  with  even  these,  and  that 
at  night  we  will  occupy  the  houses,  barns,  cot 
ton-sheds  and  tobacco  warehouses,  which  we 
may  find  along  the  way.  The  wagons  will 
carry  only  cooking  utensils  and  provisions. 
The  rest  must  be  taken  upon  the  backs  of  the 
men. 

The  Twelfth  Indiana  (Captain  Nelson's 
regiment),  our  neighbors  at  Camp  Morton,  ar 
rived  last  night,  and  are  under  marching  or 
ders  similar  to  ours.  Five  more  regiments  at 
Camp  Morton  are  also  destined  for  Grenada. 

Our  sick  list  now  reaches  one  hundred  and 
ten.  Three  of  our  men  have  died  since  com 
ing  here.  Change  of  climate  and  the  heavy 
rains  are  probably  the  causes.  I  am  well,  and 
said  to  be  getting  stout. 

Took  a  ride  around  Memphis  last  Sunday. 
A  quite  pretty  place  with  many  fine  busi 
ness  houses.  Business  is  mostly  done  by  He 
brews,  who  have  come  here  since  the  Federal 

18 


occupation  of  the  city.  Business  is  more  brisk 
than  I  expected  to  see  it.  Sales  of  one  Hebrew 
house,  last  week,  were  twenty-seven  thousand 
dollars. 

Father  has  gone  to  Nashville  to  see  Henry. 

I  had  an  opportunity  to  go  on  the  staff  of 
Colonel  McDowell  commanding  brigade,  as  an 
aide-de-camp,  but  would  not  accept  the  place, 
because  the  position  is  not  permanent.  The 
colonel  may,  at  any  time,  be  deprived  of  his 
command,  and  his  staff  be  returned  to  their 
several  regiments. 

No  colonel  appointed  yet  for  us,  so  far  as 
we  know. 

On  Sunday  saw  George  McCagg,  Lieutenant 
of  Company  A,  Chicago  Light  Artillery.  His 
battery  has  been  here  since  last  July. 

There  are  certainly  a  few  good  Union  ladies 
here,  as  their  faithful  attendance  on  our  sick 
in  the  hospital  will  testify. 

We  have  a  house  set  apart  for  our  sick.  One 
lady  drives  there  daily,  sends  her  carriage 
home,  and  goes  to  work  in  earnest.  As  we 
came  here  without  surgeons  or  hospital  stores, 
and  as  there  was  some  trouble  in  being  fur 
nished  here,  she  told  us  that  our  sick  must  be 
attended  to,  and  went  herself  to  the  medical 

19 


director,  and  gave  him  a  good  talking-to. 
Also,  she  told  Colonel  Heath  that  her  income 
was  five  hundred  dollars  more  than  sufficient 
for  her  support,  and  that  amount  we  should 
have  for  the  comfort  of  our  sick.  Pretty  good 
for  a  Southern  lady !  Northern  women  seldom 
do  better.  This,  however,  is  an  exceptional 
case.  Most  of  the  people  are  bitter  secession 
ists.  Another  instance  I  had  almost  forgotten. 
When  our  quartermaster  and  I  were  riding  in 
the  suburbs  on  Sunday  we  met,  in  a  buggy,  a 
gentleman,  about  sixty  years  of  age,  and  his 
daughter.  As  we  approached  they  saluted  us 
with  their  sweetest  smiles,  merely,  I  suppose, 
because  they  recognized  us  as  Union  officers. 
This  exhibition  of  good-will  was  indeed  re 
freshing,  after  meeting  so  many  glum-looking 
people  in  the  streets  of  Memphis. 

CHULAHOMA,  Miss.,  DEC.  1,  1862. 
Just  one  week  ago  to-morrow  I  wrote  you 
from  Memphis.     As  indicated  in  that  letter, 
we  marched  out  of  Memphis  on  Wednesday, 
Nov.  26.     Our  whole  army  was  under  General 
Sherman,   and   moved  out  upon  three  roads. 
The  other  divisions  joined  ours  the  next  day, 
about  ten  miles  out.    Our  first  night  was  spent 
20 


in  the  open  air ;  not  even  the  colonel's  tent  was 
pitched,  our  baggage  train  having  been  de 
layed.  Our  camp  was  in  the  woods  and  we 
slept  upon  leaves  with  our  feet  to  the  fire.  I 
took  my  saddle  for  a  pillow,  wrapped  my  over 
coat  and  blanket  around  me,  and  turned  in.  I 
assure  you  I  have  seldom  slept  warmer,  or  bet 
ter,  notwithstanding  it  was  clear  and  cold — 
cold  enough  to  make  ice. 

Our  first  day's  march  was  but  seven  miles, 
the  second  seventeen  miles,  a  rather  hard  one 
for  our  green  regiment.  Saw  on  this  day,  for 
the  first  time  in  my  life,  cotton  growing  in  the 
field.  Vast  quantities  are  going  to  waste  for 
the  want  of  hands  to  pick  it.  In  some  places 
we  saw  where  large  piles  of  cotton  had  been 
burned  by  the  Confederates.  In  others,  where 
the  cotton  was  all  ready  for  firing,  but  the 
Confederates  had  not  had  time  to  finish  their 
work.  As  I  mentioned  before,  on  the  second 
day  we  were  joined  by  the  other  divisions, 
Smith's  and  Lauman's.  The  Twelfth  Indiana 
is  in  Lauman's  division.  Saw  Adjutant  Bond 
and  Lieutenant  Godown.  Captain  Nelson  had 
been  left  in  Indianapolis  on  business.  Water 
we  found  scarce  and  very  poor.  At  our  sec 
ond  camping  place  (Cold water),  however,  we 
21 


found  plenty  and  very  good.  This  night,  as 
the  previous  one,  was  spent  in  the  open  air, 
and  with  the  same  good  effect.  Next  day 
marched  fifteen  miles  to  Red  Sand  Bank 
Creek.  Roads  good  and  weather  splendid. 
This  day  our  division  was  in  advance  of  the 
army.  Our  brigade  was  second  in  division 
and  our  regiment  in  advance  of  brigade.  At 
Red  Sand  Bank  Creek  found  first-rate  water 
and  plenty  of  it.  Spent  Saturday  there,  rest 
ing.  Buried  one  of  our  men  who  died  from 
eating  raw  turnips. 

Yesterday  moved  eight  miles  to  this  village. 
Chulahoma  is  southwest  from  Holly  Springs, 
and  is  farther  south  than  our  land  forces  have 
ever  been  on  this  side  of  the  Mississippi  River. 
We  are  moving  to  join  General  Grant  on  the 
Tallahatchie  River,  where,  it  is  said,  we  will 
find  the  enemy.  We  are  now  ten  or  twelve 
miles  from  the  river.  General  Sherman's  army 
is  about  twenty  thousand  strong,  and  General 
Grant  has,  according  to  report,  forty  thousand. 
General  Steele,  from  Helena,  on  the  Missis 
sippi  River,  will  also  join  us  with  twenty  or 
thirty  thousand  men.  We  are  expecting  to 
hear  from  him  every  day.  The  Confederate 
pickets  retreat  before  as  we  advance.  Only 
22 


yesterday  morning  five  hundred  of  the  enemy's 
cavalry  were  here,  and  as  we  approached 
Chulahoma  our  advance  cavalry  chased  sev 
eral  of  them  across  the  creek. 

We  are  subsisting  on  the  enemy  as  we  go. 
Horses,  wagons,  mules,  corn,  fodder,  cattle, 
in  short,  all  things  we  need,  are  impressed  into 
service.  Our  quartermasters  give  receipts, 
which  will  be  paid  by  the  Government  upon 
proof  of  the  loyalty  of  the  owners — something 
they  cannot  very  easily  furnish.  Our  men  con 
fiscate  some  things  upon  their  own  hook,  such 
as  pigs,  chickens,  turkeys,  honey,  sugar,  mo 
lasses,  sweet  potatoes,  and  occasionally  a  calf, 
or  a  sheep.  We  are  "living  gay,"  I  assure  you. 
Remember  too  that  this  is  the  land  of  persim 
mons,  which  are  just  now  ripe. 

Negroes  are  "sticking"  to  us  daily.  Left 
Memphis  with  none.  Now  have  sixty,  or  sev 
enty,  in  the  regiment.  The  colored  people  are 
delighted  to  see  us,  and  even  the  secessionists 
treat  us  civilly. 

The  people  of  Chulahoma  have  almost  en 
tirely  deserted  the  place.  Two  abandoned 
drug-stores  and  one  grocery  have  been  taken 
possession  of  by  our  troops.  In  one  of  the 
drug-stores,  to-day,  I  picked  up  a  diploma 
23 


which  had  been  issued  by  the  Medical  College 
of  Louisville,  Ky.,  to  Jacob  L.  Mabry,  in  the 
year  1841.*  Also  found  a  plot  of  survey  for 
the  Chulahoma  Seminary  grounds.  These 
documents  I  enclosed  in  letter  to  mother  to 
day. 

Had  a  heavy  storm  last  night  with  much 
wind.  Came  near  having  our  tent  blown 
down  and  ourselves  drowned  out. 

Six  thousand  of  our  troops  were  sent  out 
to-day  to  make  a  reconnaissance.  Have  not 
learned  the  result.  We  are  encamped  in  a 

*The  following  letter  was  published  in  The  South, 
Holly  Springs,  Marshall  Co.,  Miss.,  November  20,  1902. 
Chulahoma  is  also  in  Marshall  County,  but  has  no 
newspaper. 

Nov.  12TH,  1902. 
To  the  Editor  of  The  South : 

Sir:  —  When  General  Sherman's  troops  entered  Chu 
lahoma,  November  30th,  1862,  among  them  was  the 
100th  Indiana  Infantry,  of  which  I  was  an  officer. 
The  next  day  when  strolling  about  the  town,  I  entered 
an  abandoned  drug-store  and  picked  up  from  the  floor 
a  medical  diploma,  which  I  mailed  to  my  home  in 
Indiana.  Lateh',  in  looking  through  a  box  of  old 
papers,  I  came  across  this  diploma.  It  was  issued  by 
the  Aledical  College  of  Louisville,  Kentucky,  in  the  year 
1841,  to  Jacob  L.  Mabry.  I  should  like  very  much  to 


24 


very  strong  position  and  are  ready  for  the 
enemy  from  any  direction. 

It  is  uncertain  whether  we  shall  march  in 
the  morning  or  not.  To-morrow  a  wagon- 
train  will  leave  for  Holly  Springs,  ten  miles 
distant.  The  mail  goes  by  this  train,  the  first 
opportunity  for  sending  letters  since  leaving 
Memphis.  From  Holly  Springs  there  is  rail 
road  communication  direct  to  Columbus,  Ky. 

Frank  Sturgis,  son  of  Solomon  Sturgis,  of 
Chicago,  is  with  the  Division-quartermaster. 
Is  buying  cotton. 

it  to  some  member  of  his  family,  or  to  some  relative, 
should  any  such  desire  to  have  it. 

EDWARD  P.  WILLIAMS, 

524  Fifth  Avenue, 

New  York  City. 

In  reply  to  the  above  communication,  a  letter  was 
received  from  Miss  Katherine  A.  Walker,  Galena,  Mar 
shall  County,  Miss.,  stating  that  Doctor  Mabry  was 
dead,  and  suggesting  that  the  diploma  be  sent  to  his 
daughter,  Miss  Lizzie  Lee  Mabry,  Senatobia,  Tate 
County,  Miss.  (Tate  County  adjoins  Marshall  County). 
The  diploma  was  sent  by  registered  mail,  November 
25,  1902,  and  in  due  time  a  letter  of  acknowledge 
ment  was  received  from  Miss  Mabry,  expressing  her 
thankfulness  and  her  joy  over  the  recovery  of  her 
father's  long  lost  diploma.  And  so,  at  last,  the  diploma 
was  restored  to  the  family  of  Doctor  Mabry  after 
being  in  the  possession  of  a  stranger  for  forty  years. 

25 


We  know  nothing  of  what  is  going  on  in 
the  North.  Have  seen  no  newspaper  since 
leaving  Memphis. 

Weather  and  roads  have  been  all  we  could 
wish. 

Some  of  our  troops  have  behaved  very  bad 
ly,  burning  fences,  corn,  houses,  and  even 
churches  have  not  been  spared.  Our  line  of 
march  from  Memphis  is  marked  for  years  to 
come.  I  hope  I  may  never  live  on  the  line  of 
march  of  any  army.  Where  an  army  en 
camps,  everything  for  miles  around  is  literally 
swept  away. 

IN  THE  FIELD,  MISSISSIPPI, 

TUESDAY,  DEC.  2,  1862. 

Left  Chulahoma  this  morning  at  eight 
o'clock,  and,  after  a  march  of  nine  miles,  en 
camped  about  half  a  mile  from  the  Talla- 
hatchie  River,  soon  after  noon.  Rained  nearly 
the  whole  day,  and  the  roads  are  getting  bad. 
It  is  quite  cold  and  very  disagreeable.  Our 
men  stood  the  march  well,  and  have  made  for 
themselves  shelter  tents  with  their  rubber 
blankets.  Are  learning  fast  to  accommodate 
themselves  to  circumstances. 

We  are  on  the  Ferry  road,  several  miles  be 
low    the    railroad-bridge.      The    Confederates 
26 


skedaddled  from  here  last  Sunday,  after  burn 
ing  the  railroad-bridge  and  cutting  in  two  the 
ferryboat.  Heard  cannonading  this  after 
noon.  Afterwards  learned  that  General  Grant 
has  crossed  the  river  near  the  railroad-bridge, 
and  was  pursuing  the  enemy  near  Abbeville, 
six  or  seven  miles  from  us.  The  firing  was 
there.  Our  troops  are  busy  building  a  bridge 
at  this  point.  We  are  to  push  on,  and  join 
General  Grant  as  soon  as  possible. 

WEDNESDAY,  DEC.  3. 

Are  still  here.  Rain  stopped  and  sun  shin 
ing  splendidly.  Roads  drying  up.  Went  over 
this  afternoon  with  our  colonel  to  visit  the 
Twelfth  Indiana,  which  is  just  half  a  mile 
back  of  us.  Saw  Lieutenant  Godown  and  Ad 
jutant  Bond.  Captain  Nelson  has  not  yet 
joined  the  regiment.  Bridge  will  be  finished 
about  midnight,  and  we  shall  probably  move 
again  in  the  morning.  Four  of  our  companies 
were  out  to-day  on  a  foraging  expedition. 

THURSDAY,  DEC.  4. 

Still   in  camp.      Weather  changed.      Slow, 
steady  rain  all  day.     Bridge  completed.     Gen 
eral  Sherman  went  over  to-day  to  consult  with 
27 


General  Grant,  and  returned  late  this  evening 
with  marching  orders  for  his  army  at  7.30 
A.  M.  to-morrow.  Confederate  General  Price  is 
reported  near  us  with  eighty  thousand  men. 

FRIDAY,  DEC.  5. 

Rained  all  night,  and  the  storm  closed  with 
a  sprinkling  of  snow.  Hard  night  on  sol 
diers.  Marched  to-day  nine  miles  through 
terribly  muddy  roads  to  College  Hill,  which  we 
reached  about  2.30  p.  M.  The  country  about 
here  is  much  better  than  any  we  have  seen 
since  entering  the  State.  Have  passed  several 
very  substantial  and  comfortable  looking  resi 
dences.  College  Hill  contains  but  a  few 
houses,  and  is  quite  pretty.  Four  and  a  half 
miles  from  here  is  Oxford,  on  the  railroad. 
General  Grant's  army,  or  rather  his  advance 
guard,  is  there.  It  is  expected  that  the  rail 
road  will  be  finished  and  running  to  that  point 
shortly.  Shall  then  .have  direct  railroad  com 
munication  with  the  North.  All  are  getting 
anxious  to  see  a  newspaper.  Everything  at 
home  may  be  all  right,  or  the  reverse,  but  it  is 
all  the  same  to  us.  We  are  in  blissful  ignor 
ance  of  the  doings  of  the  world. 

28 


About  two  miles  this  side  of  the  river  we 
passed  unfinished  earthworks,  which  the  Con 
federates  had  thrown*  up  only  last  week.  They 
had  impressed  all  the  negroes  throughout  the 
country  for  that  purpose. 

SATURDAY,  DEC.  G. 

Have  been  at  College  Hill  all  day.  Are  out 
of  hard-bread,  and  must  wait  until  the  wagon- 
train  arrives  from  Holly  Springs. 

Heard  to-day  that  General  Steele  had 
marched  from  Helena  and  taken  Granada, 
driving  out  General  Van  Dorn's  forces,  and 
capturing  the  General's  private  baggage.  Gen 
eral  Price  is  therefore  between  Steele  and  us. 
Bread-train  came  to-night. 

SUNDAY,  DEC.  7. 

Clear  and  cold.  The  ground  froze  very  hard 
last  night.  Were  all  reviewed  to-day  by  Gen 
eral  Grant.  Mr.  Munn  preached  to  us  in  camp 
this  afternoon.  There  was  also  preaching  last 
night  and  to-night  in  the  village  church.  Our 
camp  is  on  the  College  grounds.  The  men  are 
making  sad  havoc,  cutting  down  the  beautiful 
grove  for  fire-wood.  The  College  is  now  rep 
resented  by  a  small  brick  school-house  about 
twenty  by  forty  feet. 

29 


Our  mess  is  living  first-rate  just  at  present. 
Have  corn-bread,  fresh  beef  and  fresh  pork, 
tea,  coffee,  sugar,  molasses,  honey,  sweet  and 
Irish  potatoes,  dried  peaches,  etc.  Our  great 
want  here  is  good  water. 

Learned  to-night  that  the  mail  will  leave  to 
morrow  morning  for  Holly  Springs.  Have  no 
news  from  the  North  since  leaving  Memphis. 
Don't  know  when  we  shall  leave,  or  where  we 
are  going.  Some  think  we  will  march  across 
the  country  to  the  Mississippi  and  take  boats 
for  Vicksburg,  while  General  Grant,  with  a 
portion  of  his  forces,  moves  upon  Jackson. 

Am  perfectly  well,  and  have  been  all  the 
time.  My  horse  is  all  right.  Saw  Ed.  Morri 
son  of  Fort  Wayne  to-day.  Is  in  our  brigade, 
a  private  in  Forty-sixth  Ohio. 

IN  THE  FIELD,  MISSISSIPPI, 

MONDAY,  DEC.  8,  1862. 

Another  day  at  College  Hill.  Our  Generals 
do  not  seem  to  know  where  the  enemy  has 
gone,  and  are  at  a  loss  to  know  what  to  do. 
Weather  beautiful. 

TUESDAY,  DEC.  9. 

General  Sherman  returned  to-day  to  Mem 
phis  with  General  Morgan  L.  Smith's  divi 
sion.  There,  I  suppose,  he  will  take  boats  for 

30 


Vicksburg.  The  Thirteenth  Regulars  were  de 
tached  from  our  brigade  and  added  to  General 
Sherman's  force.  General  Denver  has  now 
command  of  this  corps,  composed  of  his  own 
and  Lauman's  divisions,  and  Colonel  Mc 
Dowell,  lately  commanding  our  brigade, 
now  commands  the  division.  General  Sher 
man  gave  us  a  parting  review  at  two  o'clock 
this  afternoon. 

The  quartermaster  and  I  rode  to  Oxford  to 
visit  some  of  our  Indiana  regiments.  Oxford 
is  a  quite  pretty  place,  though  very  hilly  and 
broken.  Is  about  the  size  of  Oxford,  Ohio. 
The  railroad  is  now  running  to  Holly  Springs, 
and  will  soon  be  finished  to  Oxford.  The  mail 
and  the  Chicago  newspapers  are  received  daily 
at  Oxford,  only  four  days  old.  We  obtained 
Chicago  Tribune  and  Cincinnati  Commercial 
of  the  5th — a  great  treat,  I  assure  you.  The 
only  papers  seen  since  leaving  Memphis. 

It  is  understood  that  our  corps  will  march 
straight  across  the  country  for  the  mouth  of 
the  Yazoo  River. 

WEDNESDAY,  DEC.  10. 

Another  day  spent  in  inactivity,  and  our  fine 
roads  and  beautiful  weather  are  not  being  im 
proved.     Our  colonel  went  over  to  Oxford  and 
31 


brought  us  the  Chicago  Tribune  of  the  6th,  but 
no  mail. 

Have  marching  orders  at  last.  Leave  to 
morrow  morning  at  nine  o'clock.  We  all  like 
our  new  commander,  General  Denver,  very 
much,  and  think  he  will  push  us  through  fast. 
We  go  probably  to  mouth  of  Yazoo  River. 
You  need  not,  therefore,  expect  another  letter 
from  me  until  we  reach  that  point,  as  there 
will  be  no  opportunity  to  write  sooner.  You 
must  pay  the  postage  on  this,  as  I  have  no 
stamps. 

CAMP  NEAR  RAILROAD,  ONE  MILE  NORTH  OF 

TALLAHATCHIE  RIVER,  DEC.  26,  1862. 

My  last  letter  to  you  was  dated  a  week  and 
a  half  ago  at  camp  Yocknapatalfa,  and  was 
sent  north  with  a  lieutenant  of  the  Sixth 
Iowa.  * 

Everything  remained  quiet  there  until 
last  Monday  morning,  when  we  were  ordered 
to  make  the  north  bank  of  the  Tallahatchie 
River  by  Tuesday  night.  We  moved  at  7  A. 
M.  and  camped  on  Tobytuby  Creek  (eighteen 
miles)  at  3  P.  M.  We  had  been  ordered  to 

*  This  letter  never  reached  its  destination.     See  letter 
dated  Jan.  25,  1863. 

32 


cross  the  Tallahatchie  at  Wyatt,  where  we  had 
built  a  bridge  on  our  way  down,  but  on  reach 
ing  Tobytuby  Creek  a  courier  from  General 
McPherson  met  us  with  orders  to  bear  to  the 
east,  and  cross  the  river  at  Abbeville,  the 
bridge  at  Wyatt  having  been  burned.  Were 
off  at  daylight,  passed  through  College  Hill, 
leaving  Oxford  on  our  right,  and  reached  our 
present  camp  (fifteen  miles)  by  2  p.  M.  This 
two  days'  march  was  very  severe  on  our  men, 
owing  to  the  hilly  roads,  and  their  having  been 
so  many  days  idle  at  Yocknapatalfa.  All  our 
regiments  straggled  considerably. 

Our  division  (General  Denver's)  was  far 
ther  south  than  any  other,  being  sixteen  miles 
south  of  Oxford.  The  railroad  was  finished 
to  within  a  few  miles  of  us  and  we  had  already 
heard  the  whistle  of  the  engine,  when  the 
news  came  of  the  shameful  disaster  at  Holly 
Springs  and  the  destruction  of  all  our  stores. 
At  this  juncture,  our  forces  were  ordered  to 
fall  back  beyond  the  Tallahatchie.  On  Mon 
day,  Tuesday,  and  Wednesday,  there  was  a 
continual  stream  of  soldiers  and  wagons,  from 
daylight  until  eight  o'clock  at  night,  crossing 
the  river  at  this  point.  The  troops  are  now  all 
over.  All  the  cotton  has  been  brought  up 

33 


from  Oxford,  and  all  the  railroad-bridges 
have  been  destroyed  as  far  up  as  Abbeville, 
which  is  three  miles  south  of  the  river.  The 
trestle-work,  built  by  our  troops  across  the 
river,  is  one-eighth  of  a  mile  in  length.  This 
too  will  probably  be  destroyed  by  us  as  soon  as 
the  cotton  can  be  carried  away. 

The  Confederate  fortifications  are  very 
strong,  and  principally  on  the  south  bank  of 
the  river,  covering  the  bridge  and  touching  the 
railroad  track  on  its  west  side.  On  the  north 
bank,  guarding  the  approach  to  the  bridge,  are 
strong  earthworks  for  one  battery.  North  of 
river,  for  a  half-mile,  is  a  low  wet  bottom  with 
very  dense  woods.  On  the  first  high  ground, 
three-quarters  of  a  mile  from  river,  were  two 
batteries  connected  by  rifle  pits.  None  of  the 
fortifications  mentioned  had  been  entirely  fin 
ished.  The  reason  the  Confederates  abandoned 
them  was  not  from  any  want  of  strength,  but 
because  General  Sherman's  army  from  Mem 
phis  was  about  to  cross  the  river  at  Wyatt,  ten 
miles  west,  thus  turning  their  left  flank  and 
getting  in  their  rear.  It  would  have  required 
very  hard  work  to  force  them  back  by  a  move 
ment  directly  in  front. 

A  railroad-train  passes  us  three  or  four  times 

34 


a  day.  It  does  our  boys  good  to  see  it,  having 
had  no  such  sight  since  we  left  Cairo. 

Just  on  the  other  side  of  the  river,  guarding 
the  railroad-bridge,  we  saw  the  Twelfth  In 
diana,  which  was  separated  from  us  at  Wyatt, 
as  we  went  down.  They  are  entirely  isolated, 
belonging  to  no  division,  or  brigade.  General 
Denver  has  requested  General  Grant  to  assign 
them  to  his  division.  We  have  every  hope 
that  this  request  will  be  granted. 

Colonel  Reub.  Williams  of  the  Twelfth  In 
diana  and  his  quartermaster  were  in  Holly 
Springs  on  business  at  the  time  of  the  "sur 
prise,"  and  were  taken  prisoners  and  paroled. 
This  is  the  third  time  for  Colonel  Williams, 
and  it  annoys  him  immensely.  Our  sutler  was 
also  there,  but  fortunately  without  any  goods, 
and  with  only  eighty  dollars  in  money.  This 
was  taken  from  him  and  also  eleven  hundred 
dollars  left  with  him  by  a  cotton-buyer  to  pay 
for  cotton.  The  Confederates  even  paroled  our 
sutler,  which,  of  course,  amounts  to  nothing, 
except  to  prevent  him  from  enlisting,  of  which 
there  was  never  any  danger.  Since  we  have 
been  here,  he  has  been  down  to  see  us  and  gave 
an  interesting  account  of  the  way  everything 
went  at  Holly  Springs.  Value  of  cotton  de- 
35 


stroyed  three  million  four  hundred  thousand 
dollars,  all  belonging  to  speculators,  from 
whom  was  also  taken  one  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars  in  money.  The  Confederate 
force  was  about  eight  thousand  cavalry  and 
mounted  infantry.  The  garrison  at  Holly 
Springs  was  small,  but  ample  to  at  least  have 
held  the  enemy  in  check  until  reinforcements 
could  come  up,  had  any  precautions  whatever 
been  taken  by  the  colonel  commanding  the 
place.  The  colonel's  name  is  Murphy,  from 
Wisconsin,  and  he  was  taken  prisoner  in  his 
bed.  We  are  now  cut  off  from  supplies,  and 
are  on  half  rations.  Cannot  tell  when  our  com 
munication  will  be  reopened. 

To-day  a  train  of  three  hundred  wagons 
guarded  by  five  thousand  men,  started  from 
Holly  Springs  (fifteen  miles  distant),  for 
Memphis,  for  provisions.  Our  quartermaster 
went  with  them.  He  had  started  to  Memphis, 
while  we  were  yet  at  Yocknapatalfa,  to  get 
our  tents,  but  went  no  farther  than  Oxford, 
being  stopped  by  the  dash  on  Holly  Springs. 

Our  division  has  received  no  mail  since  leav 
ing  Memphis.  Nor  has  the  Twelfth  Indiana. 
It  is  rumored  that  a  mail  for  us  was  destroyed 
by  the  Confederates  at  Holly  Springs. 

36 


The  weather  has  been  quite  warm  and  de 
lightful — scarcely  any  need  of  fire.  The  roads 
are  splendid.  It  is  raining  hard  to-day,  however. 
Last  evening  (Christmas)  I  took  tea  with  Cap 
tain  George  Nelson  and  Lieutenant  Godown. 
It  was  warm  enough  to  set  our  table  out  of 
doors.  I  have  made  the  Twelfth  Indiana  sev 
eral  visits,  and  Captain  Nelson  and  Adjutant 
Bond  have  been  over  to  see  us.  The  boys  of 
the  Twelfth  from  Fort  Wayne  are  all  well 
and  hearty. 

All  the  plans  for  our  campaign  are  to  be 
changed,  and  there  is  no  knowing  what  will  be 
done  with  us.  For  the  present,  until  communi 
cation  with  the  world  is  opened,  we  shall  re 
main  here. 

This  is  the  fifth  letter  I  have  written  you 
since  leaving  Memphis  (one  month  to-day). 
Do  not  know  when,  or  how,  this  will  leave 
here. 

Dr.  McGee,  our  second-assistant-surgeon, 
has  joined  us  and  brought  with  him  his  wife. 
He  is  a  lately  married  widower,  which  accounts 
for  his  bringing  his  wife  into  the  field. 

SATURDAY,  DEC.  27. 

The  Twelfth  Indiana  has  been  assigned  to 
our  division  by  General  Grant.     We  are  all 
37 


delighted  with  the  prospect  of  having  the 
Twelfth  so  near  us,  as  it  is  made  up,  principally, 
of  Fort  Wayne  boys. 

We  expect  to  leave  here  to-morrow,  or  next 
day,  for  Lafayette  or  Moscow,  on  the  railroad 
between  Memphis  and  Grand  Junction.  Mili 
tary  authorities  have  determined  to  open  and 
repair  this  railroad,  over  which  to  receive  sup 
plies,  and  will  probably  abandon  the  other 
road  to  Columbus,  Ky.  One  brigade  of  our  di 
vision  will  go  to  Lafayette,  thirty-one  miles 
from  Memphis,  the  other  to  Moscow,  thirty- 
nine  miles  from  the  same  city.  We  do  not 
know  certainly  to  which  point  we  will  be  as 
signed.  Will  probably  build  log-huts  and  go 
into  winter  quarters  until  the  wet  season  is 
over.  We  are  pleased  with  the  prospect  of 
getting  so  near  Memphis  and  to  a  place  where 
we  can  have  a  daily  mail  and  daily  newspapers. 

HOLLY  SPRINGS,  Miss. 
WEDNESDAY,  DEC.  31,  1862. 

On  Sunday  afternoon,  just  as  we  were  get 
ting  ready  to  attend  divine  service,  we  were 
ordered  to  break  camp  and  move.  Marched 
seven  miles,  and  camped  at  Lumpkin's  Mills  a 
little  after  7  p.  M.  It  was  a  clear,  cold,  bright 
38 


moonlight  night.  The  Lieutenant  Colonel  and 
I  did  not  pitch  our  tent,  but  made  our  beds  out 
of  doors  between  the  ridges  of  a  corn-field,  not 
yet  dry  from  the  heavy  rains  received  a  day  or 
two  before.  I  must  say  that  I  never  slept  bet 
ter,  or  warmer,  in  my  life.  We  had  one  bed- 
tick  filled  with  cotton,  and  another  with  corn- 
shucks,  and  with  plenty  of  blankets,  we  bid  de 
fiance  to  the  heavy  frost  which  that  night  whit 
ened  everything  around  us. 

Moved  at  daylight,  and  reached  Holly 
Springs  (seven  miles)  at  10  A.  M.  Intended 
going  six  miles  farther,  but  General  Grant 
changed  the  order,  sending  General  McAr- 
thur's  division  to  guard  railroad  at  Moscow  and 
Lafayette,  and  ordering  General  Denver  to  re 
main  here.  Here  we  are  on  a  very  pleasant 
camp-ground.  The  men  have  made  themselves 
comfortable  little  houses,  like  dog  kennels,  with 
their  rubber  blankets  and  what  lumber  they 
found  on  the  ground.  There  is  one  wall-tent 
to  every  three  officers  (one  to  a  company). 
Two  small  houses  within  the  camp  limits  are 
used  for  hospital  purposes.  Some  think  we 
shall  remain  here  all  winter.  But  as  there  is 
nothing  certain  in  war,  I  make  no  predictions. 

The  most  pleasing  event  to  all  of  us,  since 
39 


our  campaign  began,  was  the  receiving  of  our 
first  mail  from  the  North,  which  we  found 
here  on  our  arrival.  Four  letters  were  re 
ceived  from  you,  two  from  father,  one  from 
mother,  and  one  from  brother  Meade.  Father 
writes  that  Henry  is  now  an  aide  on  General 
Van  Cleve's  staff. 

One  of  our  captains  (Rhodes  of  Auburn), 
left  sick  in  Memphis,  died  there  on  December 
loth. 

At  our  last  camp  we  came  very  near  losing 
four  of  our  saddle-horses,  mine  among  the 
number.  They  had  pulled  up  the  stakes,  to 
which  they  were  tied,  and  had  strayed  off. 
One  was  the  colonel's,  one  the  major's,  one  the 
quartermaster's,  and  the  other  mine.  When 
the  regiment  was  ready  to  move  the  horses 
had  not  been  found.  So  the  sergeant-major, 
four  of  the  boys,  and  I,  remained  behind  to  con 
tinue  the  search.  The  sergeant-major  and  I 
took  a  road  leading  west  and  soon  found  the 
major's  horse,  but  the  others  could  not  be  seen. 
The  major's  horse  was  sent  back,  while  we 
continued  on  and  on,  for  about  four  miles  until 
we  struck  another  road  leading  to  Holly 
Springs,  six  miles  distant.  The  horses  were 
given  up  as  lost,  and  we  turned  our  faces 

40 


toward  Holly  Springs,  which  we  reached  about 
12  o'clock  (noon).  We  had  not  been  in  camp 
long,  however,  before  all  were  brought  safely 
in  by  an  artillery  man,  who,  in  looking  for  some 
of  his  own  horses,  had  found  ours.  They  had 
gone  several  miles  across  the  railroad  in  exact 
ly  the  opposite  direction  to  that  which  I  had 
taken.  The  quartermaster's  horse  had  lost  his 
halter.  All  else  was  safe,  and  we  congratulat 
ed  ourselves  upon  our  good  fortune.  The 
tramp  of  ten  miles  was  of  much  benefit. 

To-day  all  the  troops  were  mustered  for  pay, 
as  is  the  custom  at  the  end  of  every  two  months. 
We  think  it  probable  that  the  paymaster  will 
visit  us  soon  after  railroad  communication  is 
established,  as  this  army  has  not  been  paid  for 
six  months. 

The  Twelfth  Indiana  is  camped  quite  near 
us,  and  we  see  Captain  Nelson  and  the  rest  fre 
quently. 

I  am  increasing  in  weight,  and  have  not  been 
sick  a  day  since  I  received  my  commission. 

FRIDAY,  JAN.  2,  1863. 

New  Year's  day  was  not  much  observed  in 
the  army.  It  was  quiet,  and  all  the  officers 
were  busy  making  out  their  pay-rolls  and 

41 


monthly  returns.  Though  always  kept  pretty 
close  to  my  office,  I  think  I  had  more  business 
than  usual  yesterday. 

Have  not  yet  been  up  town  to  see  what 
Holly  Springs  looks  like.  Should  judge,  how 
ever,  it  is  quite  a  pretty  place  of  about  four 
thousand  people.  The  country  around  about 
is  hilly. 

It  is  thought  the  railroad  will  soon  be  fin 
ished  to  Memphis,  and  that  the  first  mail  will 
leave  here  on  Monday  next. 

This  letter  goes  by  private  conveyance  early 
in  the  morning. 

Have  just  received  notice  that  I  am  to  be 
detailed  to-morrow  as  an  aide  on  the  staff  of 
Colonel  John  A.  McDowell,  commanding  our 
brigade.  Not  much  of  a  position,  but  a  good 
place  to  make  acquaintances,  and  it  will  prob 
ably  be  a  stepping-stone  to  something  better. 

WOLF  CREEK,  SOUTHEAST  OF 

GRAND  JUNCTION,  JAN.  7,  1863. 
Have  time  to  write  only  a  few  lines  to  send 
by  a  captain  of  the  Sixth  Iowa,  who  goes  to 
Memphis  in  the  morning.  This  is  my  sixth 
letter.  The  last  was  quite  lengthy,  from  Holly 
Springs,  carried  north  by  Parson  Goodwin  of 
Indianapolis. 

42 


On  Sunday  last  received  an  order  detailing 
me  as  aide-de-camp  on  Colonel  McDowell's 
staff — the  detail  to  date  back  to  Jan.  ist. 
Moved  over  same  day  order  was  received. 
Like  the  position  very  much.  Colonel  McDow 
ell  is  from  Keokuk,  Iowa,  and  is  a  brother  of 
General  Irvin  McDowell  now  in  Virginia. 

Left  Holly  Springs  yesterday  morning  and 
moved  fifteen  miles  northeast  to  Salem.  To 
day  marched  nine  miles  north  to  this  creek. 
Will  probably  be  here  a  day  or  two.  It  is 
thought  we  will  go  to  Corinth,  Tenn. 

Have  heard  some  of  the  details  of  fight  at 
Vicksburg.  General  Morgan  L.  Smith,  severe 
ly  wounded,  was  with  us  until  General  Sher 
man  turned  back  from  College  Hill.  The  only 
time  I  ever  saw  General  Smith,  he  was  superin 
tending  the  bridge-building  at  Wyatt.  Was  a 
fine  man  and  a  good  general. 

At  Holly  Springs,  the  night  before  we  left, 
I  saw,  for  a  few  hours,  my  cousin  Arthur  Men- 
denhall,  in  the  Fourteenth  Illinois.  We  had 
not  met  for  twrelve  years. 

HEADQUARTERS  SECOND  BRIGADE, 
GRAND  JUNCTION,  TENN.,  JAN.  13,  1863. 

On  Sunday  last  it  was  my  good  fortune  to 
receive  seven  letters — two  from  home  and  five 

43 


from  you.  My  last  letter  to  you  was  from  our 
last  camp,  five  and  a  half  miles  southeast  of  this 
place. 

We  arrived  here  last  Friday.  Four  regi 
ments  and  one  battery  of  our  brigade  are  here. 
The  remaining  regiment  and  the  other  battery 
are  at  Davies'  Mills,  six  miles  south,  on  the 
railroad  to  Holly  Springs.  The  other  brigade 
is  at  Lagrange,  three  and  a  half  miles  west,  on 
the  railroad  to  Memphis.  General  Denver's 
headquarters  are  at  Lagrange. 

We  are  now  once  more  in  communication 
with  the  world.  The  railroads  to  Memphis 
and  Columbus  are  both  in  operation,  and  a  mail 
is  received  every  day. 

Our  business,  for  some  time  to  come,  will 
probably  be  to  guard  the  railroad,  and  yet  we 
may  be  ordered  away  in  a  week — so  uncertain 
are  the  movements  of  an  army. 

The  army  in  the  southwest  has  lately  been 
reorganized,  but  the  One-hundredth  Indiana 
still  holds  the  same  place,  McDowell's  brigade, 
Denver's  division.  General  Denver,  I  under 
stand,  is  to  have  another  brigade  given  him. 

General  Denver  visited  our  headquarters  the 

44 


other  day  and  took  dinner  with  us.  He  is  one 
of  the  pleasantest  gentlemen  I  have  ever  met. 

I  see  by  the  newspapers  that  General  Van 
Cleve  was  wounded  in  General  Rosecrans' 
great  battle.  Henry  was  on  his  staff,  and  I  am 
anxious  to  learn  how  he  fared. 

My  new  position  on  Colonel  McDowell's 
staff  is  a  very  pleasant  one,  so  far  as  personal 
comfort  is  concerned.  I  have  a  good  wall-tent 
all  to  myself,  in  which  I  can  be  as  retired  and 
quiet  as  I  choose. 

I  still  keep  well,  and  weigh  one  hundred  and 
forty-seven  pounds,  two  pounds  more  than 
ever  before. 

The  quartermaster  of  the  One-hundredth  In 
diana  met  us  here  bringing  with  him,  from 
Memphis,  tents  for  the  regiment,  so  that  now 
the  boys  are  pretty  well  fixed.  Colonel  Stough- 
ton,  appointed  to  the  colonelcy  of  the  regi 
ment,  has  not  yet  made  his  appearance,  nor  has 
he  written  a  word  to  the  regiment. 

The  contrabands  here  are  more  numerous 
than  the  soldiers.  They  flock-in  from  every 
direction,  and  move  off  daily,  by  hundreds,  on 
the  cars  going  to  Memphis — men,  women  and 
children,  of  all  ages.  Poor  creatures!  1  pity 
45 


their  condition,  and  wonder  what  will  become 
of  them.  They  have  a  very  indistinct  idea  of 
a  "Land  of  Jubiloh,"  to  which  they  are  tending, 
but  where  it  is,  and  when  the  "Jubiloh"  will 
begin,  they  cannot  even  conjecture.  They  be 
lieve  that  by  this  war  their  condition  is,  some 
how,  to  be  improved.  I  saw  the  other  day  an 
old  man  and  an  old  woman,  so  infirm  that  they 
could  scarcely  hobble  along,  trying  to  find  a 
place  on  top  of  bales  of  cotton  on  the  cars. 
They  were  pushing  on  with  the  rest  to  the 
"Land  of  Jubiloh."  When  told  that  they 
would  not  live  a  year  after  going  north,  and  that 
they  had  better  stay  at  home,  the  old  man  re 
plied  that  if  he  lived  only  one  day  there  he 
wrould  live  that  day  a  free  man. 

Another  incident  worth  mentioning.  I  saw 
yesterday,  among  the  negroes  about  the  rail 
road  station,  a  white  woman  of  over  fifty  years 
of  age.  Her  hair  was  gray  and  her  face 
wrinkled,  but  she  bore  traces  of  having  once 
been  quite  good-looking.  I  wondered  how  she 
came  to  be  in  the  crowd  of  contrabands,  and  I 
asked  her  the  question.  She  said  her  children 
had  all  left  home  to  go  to  Memphis,  and  that 
she  wished  to  go  along  to  look  after  them. 
46 


This  reply  served  only  still  more  to  excite  my 
curiosity,  and  I  remarked  that  I  did  not  know 
that  any  of  the  white  people  were  leaving  their 
homes  and  going  north.  She  smiled  and  said, 
although  she  was  white,  she  was  a  slave.  That 
her  ^father  was  a  white  man,  but  her  mother 
had  a  little  negro  blood  in  her  veins,  sufficient 
to  make  her  children  slaves.  I  never  before 
saw  such  an  instance.  Her  lips  were  thin,  her 
eyes  clear,  her  nose  thin,  and  no  stranger  would 
pronounce  her  other  than  a  white  woman. 

This  morning  I  saw  a  slave  whose  hair  and 
whiskers  were  as  straight  as  mine,  and  whose 
complexion  was  as  light.  Our  colonel  took 
him  for  a  white  man,  and  so  we  all  did. 

Weather  here  is  as  delightful  as  it  is  with 
you  in  September. 

HEADQUARTERS  SECOND  BRIGADE, 
GRAND  JUNCTION,  TENN.,  JAN.,  25,  1863. 

Colonel  Stoughton  of  the  One-hundredth 
Indiana  arrived  a  few  days  since,  bringing 
with  him  a  letter  from  mother,  besides  several 
newspapers  and  the  Atlantic  magazine  for  Jan 
uary.  I  assure  you  the  latter  were  very  accept 
able  and  were  greedily  devoured.  I  have  plenty 
of  time  for  reading  now. 
47 


Henry  arrived  home  on  the  I4th  on  a  short 
visit.  General  Van  Cleve  (wounded)  had 
gone  to  Cincinnati  to  recover,  thus  giving 
Henry  a  fine  chance  to  see  his  friends. 

Chauncey  Oakley,  mother  writes,  has  re 
signed  his  commission  in  the  Eighty-eighth  on 
account  of  poor  health,  and  is  now  at  home. 

Father  has  sent  me  two  letters  of  introduc 
tion  to  General  Denver,  and  one  to  General 
Sherman  from  his  brother  the  Senator.  Think 
father  will  be  down  to  see  me  about  the  first  of 
March. 

The  letter  I  wrote  you  from  Yocknapatalfa, 
together  with  one  to  mother,  were  not  carried 
north,  as  I  had  supposed,  by  private  convey 
ance,  but  were  mailed  in  the  ordinary  way,  and 
probably  captured  and  destroyed  by  the  Con 
federates  in  their  raid  on  Holly  Springs. 

General  Denver  has  gone  north  on  a  leave  of 
absence  for  thirty  days.  This  seems  to  make 
it  a  fact  that  we  are  fixed  for  the  winter  upon 
this  railroad,  and  are  to  have  no  share  in  the 
fight  at  Vicksburg,  unless  perhaps  we  may  be 
called  upon  to  reinforce  the  army  already  on 
the  way  there.  This  latter,  however,  will  hard 
ly  happen,  as  General  Grant,  with  his  seventy 

48 


thousand  men  and  the  co-operation  of  General 
Banks,  will  be  able  to  do  the  work. 

GRAND  JUNCTION,  TENN. 

FEB.  23,  1863. 

General  Denver  has  returned,  and  I  have  pre 
sented  my  letters  of  introduction.  I  don't  know 
what  it  will  all  amount  to.  He  told  me  that, 
when  in  Ohio  lately,  some  of  my  friends  had 
spoken  to  him  of  me. 

The  troops  at  Corinth,  Jackson,  Grand 
Junction  and  Lagrange  are  now  under  the 
command  of  General  Hamilton,  and  as  he  has 
done  nothing  but  guard  the  railroad  for  a  long 
time  past,  it  looks  as  though  that  would  be  our 
business  for  several  months  to  come.  It  is  my 
opinion  that  we  shall  have  nothing  at  all  to  do 
with  the  taking  of  Vicksburg. 

Last  Thursday  night,  about  9  o'clock,  a  ne 
gro  came  in  and  informed  us  that  Sol.  Street,  a 
noted  guerrilla  in  this  country,  with  fifty  men, 
was  then  at  his  master's  (McClellan's)  house, 
six  miles  southeast  of  this  place.  Six  compa 
nies,  under  command  of  Major  Miller  of  the 
Sixth  Iowa,  were  sent  out  to  trap  the  old  fel 
low.  I  went  with  them.  The  night  was  very 
dark,  and  when  about  half  way  out,  Major  Mil- 

49 


ler  and  the  negro  guide  having  pushed  on  so 
far  in  advance  of  the  column  as  to  be  out  of 
sight,  we  mistook  the  road  and  turned  off  to  the 
left.  We  followed  this  road  about  a  mile  before 
we  discovered  our  mistake.  This  mishap  de 
layed  us  nearly  two  hours,  and  it  was  3  o'clock 
in  the  morning  before  we  reached  McClellan's. 
The  house  was  cautiously  surrounded,  but  we 
were  too  late.  The  birds  had  flown  about  an 
hour  before.  Street  is  around  enforcing  the 
Conscription  Act.  He  carried  off  McClellan  and 
his  son,  and  passed  on  to  Saulsbury.  Street  is 
very  bold  and  shrewd,  and  hitherto  has  defied 
all  attempts  to  ensnare  him.  He  makes  it  a 
point  never  to  remain  all  of  the  night  in  the 
same  place.  We  have  no  cavalry  at  Grand 
Junction.  If  we  had  two  companies  of  cavalry 
I  am  confident  we  could  catch  him.  We  could 
have  followed  him  the  other  night  had  our 
force  been  cavalry  instead  of  infantry.  The 
negroes  bring  us  word  every  day  or  two,  of  Sol. 
Street's  whereabouts-. 

GRAND  JUNCTION,  TENN. 

MARCH  1,  1863. 

Mother  writes  that  General  Van  Cleve  will 
not  be  fit  for  duty  for  thirty  days,  and  Henry, 
50 


therefore,  has  another  leave  of  absence.  He  has 
gone  to  join  father  at  Boston,  and  intends  vis 
iting  you,  and  will  visit  Princeton  also.  I  wish 
I  might  have  the  privilege  of  visiting  my 
friends.  Perhaps  I  may  have,  when  I  have 
been  in  the  service  as  long  as  Henry. 

Captain  Harland,  General  Denver's  adju 
tant-general,  was  here  Friday  evening  and  told 
me  that  General  Denver  wished  me  on  his  staff 
as  aide-de-camp.  Colonel  McDowell  also  said 
that  the  General  had  spoken  to  him  of  the  mat 
ter.  I  expect  the  order  to-day.  This  position 
will  take  me  entirely  out  of  my  regiment.  My 
rank  will  continue  the  same,  but  if  the  General 
should  be  promoted  to  major-general,  it  will 
probably  be  raised  to  that  of  captain.  I  am 
gradually  rising,  and  have  no  reason  to  com 
plain. 

Colonel  McDowell  returned  from  Memphis 
on  Friday,  but  has  not  resumed  command  of  the 
brigade.  His  resignation  papers  have  not  yet 
returned  from  General  Grant's  headquarters, 
but  he  has  no  doubt  that  they  will,  in  due  time, 
be  accepted. 

The  cars  now  run  through  to  Columbus,  Ky. 
The  train  leaving  there  at  6  o'clock  A.  M.  ar 
rives  here  at  3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 

51 


HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  DIVISION,  SIXTEENTH  CORPS, 
LAGRANGE,  TENN.,  MARCH  4,  1863. 

I  wrote  you  in  my  last  of  my  expected  ap 
pointment  upon  General  Denver's  staff.  On 
that  same  day  (March  ist)  the  order  came. 
The  next  morning  (Monday)  I  moved  up,  and 
here  I  am  "as  snug  as  a  bug  in  a  rug."  Our 
headquarters  are  in  a  large  two-story  frame 
house.  Captain  Harland  and  I  occupy  one 
room  together. 

To-morrow  afternoon  there  will  be  a  review 
of  the  troops  in  Lagrange  by  Generals  Denver 
and  Hamilton. 

No  more  troops  are  to  be  taken  from  this 
line  of  railroad  to  reinforce  General  Grant. 

The  paymaster  will  be  here  in  a  few  days, 
but  will  pay  only  to  October  3 1  st.  The  Twelfth 
and  One-hundredth  Indiana  regiments  were 
paid  up  to  this  time  before  leaving  Indianapolis, 
and  therefore  will  not  receive  any  pay  now. 

LAGRANGE,  TENN. 

MARCH  8,  1863. 

Do  you  want  me  to  obtain  a  leave  of  absence 
to  visit  you?  I  would  love  to  dearly,  but  it  is 
next  to  impossible  to  get  home  now,  unless  1 
am  very  sick  and  the  surgeon  should  recom- 

52 


mend  it.     Perhaps  some  time  next  summer  I 
might  possibly  get  away. 

Since  I  wrote  you  last  (March  4th)  several 
changes  have  taken  place  in  the  position  of  our 
division.  A  new  brigade  has  been  formed, 
named  the  First,  in  which  is  the  One-hundredth 
Indiana,  and  Colonel  Loomis,  of  the  Twenty- 
sixth  Illinois,  is  the  commander.  The  Twelfth 
Indiana  still  belongs  to  the  Second  Brigade. 
General  Lauman's  division  having  moved  near 
er  Memphis,  our  division  has  been  strung  out 
from  Grand  Junction  to  Collierville.  The  One- 
hundredth  is  somewhere  near  the  latter  place. 
The  Twelfth  Indiana  and  Fifteenth  Michigan 
remain  at  Grand  Junction.  The  Sixth  Iowa 
and  Forty-sixth  Ohio  are  here.  Our  headquar 
ters  continue  as  before,  at  Lagrange. 

My  friend  Tucker,  quartermaster  of  the  One- 
hundredth,  is  now  quartermaster  of  the  First 
Brigade.  This  is  a  sort  of  promotion,  analo 
gous  to  my  place  with  Colonel  McDowell. 

Ed.  Taylor  of  Columbus,  Ohio,  a  schoolmate 
at  Oxford,  is  now  in  Memphis,  a  captain  in  the 
Ninety-fifth  Ohio.  I  hope  to  be  able  to  visit 
him  soon. 

I  trust  father  will  come  to  see  me.     I  shall 
look  for  him  now  every  day. 
53 


Enclosed  is  a  profile  view  of  my  humble  self 
drawn  by  our  topographical  engineer,  a  young 
German.  I  think  it  a  good  likeness. 

LAGRANGE,  TENN. 
MARCH  20,  1863. 

From  what  I  learn  this  morning  there  is  to 
be  quite  a  change  here  at  headquarters,  and  I 
shall  probably  return  to  my  regiment.  General 
Denver  has  resigned  and  is  going  home.  Gen 
eral  Wm.  Sooy  Smith,  from  General  Rose- 
crans'  army,  I  believe,  is  to  succeed  him.  If 
General  Smith  does  not  bring  with  him  a  full 
staff  I  may  get  a  position  with  him.  When  I 
wrote  you  some  time  ago  that  my  position  here 
was  one  that  took  me  entirely  out  of  my  regi 
ment,  I  was  mistaken.  It  was  merely  a  detail, 
the  same  as  when  I  was  on  the  staff  of  Colonel 
McDowell,  still  holding  my  place  as  adjutant  of 
the  One-hundredth  Indiana.  General  Denver's 
other  aide-de-camp,  Lieutenant  Williamson  of 
the  Seventy-second  Ohio,  is  in  the  same  pre 
dicament,  although  he  has  been  with  the  gen 
eral  for  nine  or  ten  months.  I  cannot  now  go 
back  to  my  old  place  in  the  Second  Brigade  for 
my  regiment  does  not  any  longer  belong  to  the 
Second  Brigade,  but  to  the  First,  and  on  the 

54 


First  Brigade  staff  there  are  already  two  lieu 
tenants  from  the  One-hundredth. 

Should  there  be  no  place  for  me  with  Gen 
eral  Smith,  I  shall  go  back  contentedly  to  my 
regiment,  and  wait  for  something  to  turn  up. 

No  one  outside  of  the  staff  knows  anything 
of  General  Denver's  resignation,  and  probably 
will  not  for  a  day  or  two.  Nor  do  I  know  yet 
upon  what  grounds  he  made  his  application. 

HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  DIVISION,  SIXTEENTH  CORPS, 
LAGRANGE,  TENN.,  MARCH  23,  1863. 

Saturday's  mail  brought  me  a  lot — one  let 
ter  from  father,  four  from  you,  and  two  news 
papers  from  father. 

General  Smith  arrived  on  Friday  and  Gen 
eral  Denver  left  this  morning  (Monday).  Gen 
eral  Smith  brought  with  him  an  adjutant-gen 
eral  and  a  quartermaster.  He  wishes,  however, 
to  retain  the  old  staff  of  General  Denver.  His 
adjutant-general  had  some  time  since  sent  in 
his  resignation  and  is  only  waiting  to  hear  from 
it.  Captain  Harland,  General  Denver's  adju 
tant,  will  therefore  continue  here  and  take  the 
place  of  the  other  adjutant  if  his  resignation  is 
accepted. 

General  Smith  is  a  very  pleasant  gentleman 

55 


and  I  think  I  shall  like  him.  Is  a  graduate  of 
West  Point,  and  was  colonel  of  the  Thirteenth 
Ohio.  Commanded  General  Nelson's  old  divi 
sion  in  General  Rosecrans'  army. 

I  shall  continue  here  as  aide-de-camp,  and 
just  now  there  is  every  prospect  of  our  remain 
ing  here  all  Summer. 

Father  writes  that  he  will  be  down  to  see  me 
about  the  first  of  April. 

Next  Sunday  (29th)  I  shall  be  twenty-five 
years  of  age. 

LAGRANGE,  TENN. 
MARCH  27,  1863. 

Your  good  letter  of  the  i8th  I  found  await 
ing  me  on  my  return  last  evening  from  Collier- 
ville,  where  I  had  gone  on  the  morning  train  to 
visit  my  old  regiment,  the  One-hundredth.  I 
found  the  boys  on  good  camping  ground,  in 
fine  health  and  spirits.  Collierville  is  about 
twenty-five  miles  west  of  here,  and  half  way 
between  this  place  and  Memphis. 

The  more  I  see  of  our  new  General  the  more 
I  like  him.  Though  a  West  Point  graduate  he 
puts  on  no  airs.  Is  kind  and  friendly  in 
his  manners,  and  has  a  great  deal  of  good  hard 
sense.  Is  thirty-three  years  of  age,  but  looks 

56 


much  younger.  He  continues  me  in  the  same 
duties  I  had  under  General  Denver,  viz;  ex 
amining  the  records  of  the  cases  as  they  come 
from  the  court-martial,  and  making  up  the  or 
ders  thereon. 

My  belief  in  the  power  of  our  Government 
and  its  ability  to  crush  out  this  rebellion  is 
stronger  to-day  that  ever  it  has  been  since  the 
war  began.  I  believe  also  that  this  year  will  not 
close  before  the  war  is  finished.  Everything 
seems  to  be  favorable  to  such  a  result. 

Yesterday,  a  young  lady,  attired  in  black, 
who  lives  near  Holly  Springs,  Miss.,  came  to 
Lagrange,  and  claiming  to  have  had  some 
mules  stolen  from  her  by  our  men,  wished  to 
recover  them.  General  Smith  was  very  accom 
modating  and  polite,  and  had  his  quartermaster 
running  about  for  half  the  day,  hunting  up  the 
mules.  I  saw  her  this  morning  in  the  general's 
room  and  was  much  struck  with  her  beauty. 
About  an  hour  after  she  left  here  she  was 
brought  back  by  one  of  our  picket  guards.  As 
she  was  passing  out  of  the  lines,  the  sentinel 
suspected  that  she  had  something  under  her 
dress  which  ought  not  to  be  there,  and  upon  ex 
amination,  found  tied  to  her  crinoline  a  pair  of 
men's  boots.  You  may  be  assured  the  beautiful 
57 


young  lady  was  exceedingly  mortified  on  con 
fronting  the  general,  who  had  shown  her  so 
much  kindness. 

LAGRANGE,  TENN. 

APRIL  5  1863. 

Have  had  a  bilious-ague  attack  during  the 
past  week,  which  has  unfitted  me  for  business, 
though  I  have  not  been  confined  to  my  bed. 
Am  much  better  to-day,  and  think  that  I  am 
now  fairly  over  it.  This  is  my  only  illness 
since  that  at  your  home,  nearly  two  years  ago. 

General  Smith's  wife,  whom  he  lately  mar 
ried  at  Bowling  Green,  Ky.,  arrived  here  on 
Friday.  She  is  tall,  handsome  and  stylish. 
The  general  and  his  wife,  and  a  lieutenant 
and  his  wife,  have  taken  a  house  in  another 
part  of  the  town.  There  is  some  talk  that  I  am 
to  live  with  them,  so  as  to  be  near  the  general 
should  anything  need  immediate  attention. 

LAGRANGE,  TENN. 

APRIL  14,  1863. 

The  responsibility  in  this  court-martial  busi 
ness  is  more  than  I  like  to  assume.  Neither 
General  Smith  nor  his  adjutant-general  has  any 
knowledge  of  law,  and  they  dislike  the  very 
mention  of  court-martial  business.  And  even 

58 


of  such  questions  of  custom  and  usage  in  the 
army,  as  their  long  service  ought  certainly  to 
qualify  them  to  decide,  they  seem  to  know  noth 
ing,  but  throw  it  all  upon  me,  who  have  been  in 
the  service  but  a  few  months.  This  makes  my 
present  position  very  embarrassing,  and  I  have 
frequently  wished  myself  back  with  my  regi 
ment.  For,  if  I  make  a  mistake,  I  thereby  com 
promise  the  general.  This  was  not  the  state  of 
things  when  General  Denver  was  here. 

When  I  wrote  you  last  I  thought  I  had  quite 
recovered  from  the  ague,  but  I  was  mistaken. 
Last  evening  I  had  another  hard  chill.  You 
have  no  idea  how  terribly  blue  these  chills  make 
me. 

LAGRANGE,  TENN. 
APRIL  19,  1863. 

On  Thursday  I  was  ordered  to  Memphis  to 
attend  to  some  business.  Spent  one  day  there 
and  returned  Saturday  morning.  I  met  in 
Memphis  an  old  friend,  Ewing  Mears  of  In 
dianapolis,  who  was  there  on  business  for  a 
house  in  St.  Louis. 

On  my  return  to  Lagrange  I  found  that  an 
expedition  against  a  party  of  Confederates  col 
lected  south  of  the  Tallahatchie  River,  had 
started  the  day  before.  The  force  consisted  of 

59 


infantry,  artillery  and  cavalry.  All  moved 
light,  without  baggage,  and  with  but  five  days' 
rations.  General  Smith  commanded  in  person, 
and  took  with  him  his  adjutant-general,  aide- 
de-camp  Williamson,  and  the  topographical  en 
gineer.  The  quartermaster,  commissary,  Cap 
tain  Harland  and  myself  were  left  behind. 
Colonel  Loomis,  commanding  the  First  Brigade, 
is  now  in  command  of  the  division,  Captain 
Harland  acting  as  assistant-adjutant-general. 
Have  heard  nothing  yet  from  the  expedition, 
and  probably  shall  not  until  it  returns.  Wheth 
er  successful,  or  not,  it  will  not  bear  materially 
upon  the  result  of  the  war. 

LAGRANGE,  TENN. 
TUESDAY,  APRIL  28,  1863. 

Yours  of  the  i8th  received  on  Saturday,  but 
I  have  been  too  busy  to  reply  until  now.  On 
Sunday  I  frequently  work  as  hard  as  on  other 
days.  This  is  a  very  serious  objection  to  one's 
being  in  the  army — there  is  no  Sunday,  and  no 
church. 

Do  not  give  yourself  any  uneasiness  in  re 
gard  to  my  health.  I  think  I  can  safely  say  that 
I  am  rid  of  the  ague,  not  having  had  a  chill  for 
nearly  two  weeks. 

60 


General  Smith's  expedition  returned  last  Fri 
day  night,  having  been  absent  eight  days,  and 
travelled  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles.  There 
was  no  fighting,  the  enemy  having  scattered 
and  effected  their  escape.  They  brought  in, 
however,  about  three  hundred  mules  and 
horses. 

Captain  Atkinson  (adjutant-general  who 
came  here  with  General  Smith)  has  received 
word  from  the  department  that  his  resignation 
has  been  accepted.  He  is  still  with  us,  but  will 
leave  soon.  He  proposes  to  live  on  a  farm  near 
Chicago,  and  engage  largely  in  horse-raising. 

Our  aide-de-camp,  Lieutenant  Williamson  of 
the  Seventy-second  Ohio,  which  is  now  in  the 
Fifteenth  Army  Corps  (General  Sherman)  on 
the  Mississippi  River,  has  been  ordered  to  the 
regiment  by  his  colonel.  He  will  probably  re 
ceive  the  captaincy  of  his  company,  there  being 
a  vacancy.  Another  aide,  to  take  his  place,  has 
already  been  detailed,  Lieutenant  Nelson  of  the 
Seventieth  Ohio  Infantry. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Heath,  of  the  One-hun 
dredth  Indiana,  has  sent  forward  his  resigna 
tion  ;  reasons  given,  the  poor  health  of  his  wife, 
and  the  confusion  of  his  business.  I  have  my 
doubts  as  to  its  acceptance. 
61 


Yesterday  morning,  about  day-break,  my 
horse  and  a  roan  mare  belonging  to  Captain  At 
kinson  got  loose  in  the  stable,  and,  the  bars  be 
ing  down,  they  put  out.  I  hunted  for  them  all 
day,  and  finally,  about  five  o'clock  in  the  after 
noon,  in  the  rain,  took  ten  cavalrymen  and 
started  out  on  the  Bolivar  road.  At  sun-down 
we  came  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Jones,  a  large 
planter  living  five  miles  out.  There  we  found 
the  horses,  which  had  been  caught  and  tied  up 
by  the  negroes  about  nine  o'clock  in  the  morn 
ing.  Found  also  two  other  horses,  which  had 
strayed  away  from  Lagrange  in  the  same  way. 
This  is  the  second  time  I  have  almost  lost  my 
horse.  And  what  is  singular  is  that  every  time 
he  gets  loose,  he  breaks  straight  for  the  country 
as  fast  as  he  can  go,  and  always  takes  a  new 
road,  one  that  he  never  saw  before. 

LAGRANGE,  TENN. 

MAY  1,  1863. 

Lieutenant  Nelson,  Seventieth  Ohio,  lately 
detailed  as  an  aide,  remained  only  a  few  days, 
and  was  relieved  at  his  own  request.  Lieuten 
ant  Williamson  is  about  leaving  for  his  regi 
ment,  and  I  shall  be  the  only  aide  left.  I  heard 
an  intimation  this  morning  that  General  Smith 

62 


was  about  to  reorganize  his  staff,  and  that  I  too 
would  be  relieved.  This  would  not  surprise 
me.  The  General,  I  imagine,  entertains  no 
special  fancy  for  me.  I  was  thrown  upon  his 
hands  by  General  Denver,  and  I  have  no  claim 
whatever,  upon  his  favor.  If  I  do  not  suit  him 
I  have  no  right  to  expect  that  I  shall  be  re 
tained.  I  have  several  times  wished  myself 
back  in  my  regiment,  and  now  I  am  soon  to  be 
gratified. 

The  One-hundredth  Indiana  was  paid  the 
other  day.  I  went  to  Collierville  and  received 
my  pay  to  February  28th  (four  months)  four 
hundred  and  sixty-five  dollars. 

COLLIERVILLE,  TENN. 
FRIDAY.  MAY  7,  1863. 

As  anticipated  in  my  last  letter,  I  have  been 
relieved  from  duty  at  General  Smith's  head 
quarters.  Lieutenant  Williamson  and  I  were 
relieved  by  the  same  order  last  Saturday.  As 
yet,  there  is  but  one  aide-de-camp  there  to  take 
our  places,  Lieutenant  Campbell  of  the  Seven 
tieth  Ohio,  who  has  been,  for  some  time  past, 
provost  marshal  of  Lagrange. 

I  returned  to  my  regiment  on  Monday,  and 
the  same  day  father  arrived  unexpectedly  to 
make  me  a  visit.  He  left  yesterday  afternoon, 
63 


and  will  probably  go  up  the  river  to-night. 
Father  said  he  would  endeavor  to  have  me  ap 
pointed  a  commissary  of  subsistence  with  rank 
of  captain.  This  is  a  business  position,  not  a 
fighting  one.  I  would  not  be  on  the  staff,  strict 
ly  speaking,  but  my  place  would  be  (if  not  as 
signed  to  a  post)  at  the  headquarters  of  the 
general,  and  my  name  announced  in  the  orders 
as  one  of  the  staff.  The  commissary  is  some 
what  independent  of  the  general,  and  is  as 
signed  to  a  division,  or  post,  by  the  chief-com 
missary  of  the  department,  or  army  corps. 

For  the  present  I  am  removed  from  my  regi 
ment,  being  detailed  as  judge-advocate  of  a 
court-martial  for  our  brigade,  just  about  con 
vening  in  this  place.  I  am  probably  well  suited 
for  this  position,  having  been  engaged,  for  the 
last  two  months,  in  reviewing  court-martial 
cases.  This  court  will  likely  continue  two 
months  at  least,  if  we  do  not  move  from  here. 
At  the  end  of  that  time  I  hope  father  will  have 
secured  for  me  the  appointment  of  commissary 
of  subsistence. 

The  One-hundredth  was  out  last  week  on  a 
scout,  and  the  acting  adjutant,  Lieutenant  Fast, 
received  a  musket  ball  in  the  hip.  It  was  only 
a  flesh  wound,  and  he  will  soon  recover. 

64 


Captain  George  Nelson  of  the  Twelfth  is  ap 
plying  for  leave  of  absence  for  twenty  days,  to 
visit  his  home. 

I  was  paid  to  first  of  May  on  staff-roll  be 
fore  leaving  Lagrange.  After  retaining  suf 
ficient  to  supply  my  needs  for  some  time,  I  sent 
home,  by  father,  four  hundred  and  thirty  dol 
lars. 

On  Wednesday  and  Thursday  the  weather 
here  was  cold  enough  for  an  overcoat.  This  is 
unusual  for  this  month  in  this  latitude. 

COLLIERVILLE,   TfiNN. 

TUESDAY,  MAY  19,  1863. 

I  found  your  letter  of  the  8th  here,  on  my  re 
turn  from  Memphis,  where  our  court-martial 
had  been  to  take  the  testimony  of  a  sick  cap 
tain  of  the  One-hundredth  Indiana.  We  went 
on  Saturday,  and  returned  yesterday  afternoon. 

Colonel  Reub.  Williams  of  the  Twelfth  In 
diana,  taken  prisoner  at  Holly  Springs  and  late 
ly  exchanged,  returned  to  his  regiment  on  Sat 
urday.  Stephen  Bond  came  down  with  him 
and  returned  home  to-day. 

We  had  quite  a  scare  yesterday  and  last 
night.  General  Chalmers  is  south  of  us,  nine 
or  ten  miles  away,  with  six  thousand  men 
65 


(mounted).  We  feared  a  raid  upon  the  rail 
road,  but  could  not  tell  exactly  where  it  would 
be  made.  We  were  all  up  and  ready  before 
daybreak  this  morning,  but  were  not  disturbed. 
The  enemy  is  still  hovering  near,  but  I  hardly 
think  he  is  willing  to  risk  much  of  a  fight. 
Most  of  his  men  are  conscripts. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Heath's  resignation, 
founded  upon  private  reasons,  went  through  to 
General  Grant  and  was  refused. 

My  health  is  now  first-rate.    No  more  ague. 

ONE  MILE  FROM  MEMPHIS,  TENN. 
MONDAY  MORNING,  JUNE  8,  1863. 

Left  Collierville  yesterday  at  5  A.  M.  and 
reached  here  in  the  afternoon,  having  marched 
with  all  the  trains  and  baggage  twenty-three 
miles.  This  we  call  a  splendid  day's  work, 
when  we  consider  that  the  brigade  is  out  of 
practice,  and  has  done  but  little  marching  for 
the  past  five  months.  The  division  is  now  all 
in  and  around  Memphis.  They  say  the  steam 
boats  are  ready  to  take  us  down  the  river  to 
Vicksburg.  We  are  waiting  for  orders  to 
march  on  board.  It  is  possible  we  may  not  get 
away  until  to-morrow. 

Colonel  Stoughton  of  the  One-hundredth  In- 

66 


diana  is  still  quite  sick,  and  has  applied  for*  a 
leave  of  absence. 

Our  friends  in  the  Twelfth  Indiana  are  all 
well,  and  the  troops  generally  are  in  good 
spirits. 

My  health  continues  excellent. 


ON  BOARD  STEAMER  BELLE  MEMPHIS, 

WEDNESDAY  NIGHT,  JUNE  10,  1863. 

I  wrote  you  last  Monday  morning  from  our 
camp  near  Memphis.  During  the  same  day  our 
brigade  was  loaded  onto  the  boats,  and  on  Tues 
day  morning  at  10  o'clock  we  moved  off.  We 
occupy  four  boats  as  follows;  One-hundredth 
Indiana  on  the  B.  J.  Adams,  Twenty-sixth  Illi 
nois  on  the  Diana,  Ninetieth  Illinois  on  the 
Belle  Memphis.  On  the  latter  boat  are  Colonel 
Loomis  and  his  staff.  Our  brigade  was  the 
first  of  the  division  to  leave  Memphis.  Owing 
to  a  severe  storm  last  night,  we  tied  up,  and  by 
morning  several  of  the  fleet  had  caught  up  with 
us,  so  that  nearly  all  day  we  had  ten  steamers 
in  sight.  About  three  o'clock  this  afternoon  the 
Belle  Memphis  pushed  ahead,  and  we  soon  lost 
sight  of  the  rest  of  the  fleet.  If  nothing  hap 
pens,  we  shall  reach  Young's  Point  by  mid- 
67 


night.  Shall  probably  land  to-morrow  at  some 
point  up  the  Yazoo  River. 

Our  boat  is  one  of  the  best  and  fastest  now 
running  on  the  river.  We  are  not  at  all  crowd 
ed,  and  thus  far  the  trip  has  been  very  com 
fortable  and  pleasant. 

We  passed  Helena  yesterday  afternoon  at 
half  past  four  o'clock.  I  saw  there,  for  the 
first  time,  a  regiment  of  negroes. 

We  are  now  having  heavy  rains.  Had  a  se 
vere  storm  on  Monday  while  in  camp,  and  dur 
ing  Monday  night,  yesterday,  and  to-day, 
storm  has  followed  storm,  accompanied  by  the 
most  terrific  thunder  and  lightning. 

Colonel  Stoughton  of  the  One-hundredth 
was  left  sick  in  Memphis,  and  has  a  leave  of 
absence.  Lieutenant  Fast,  who  was  wounded 
some  time  since,  has  a  leave  of  absence  for 
twenty  days. 

Lieutenant  Jones,  of  Company  E,  One-hun 
dredth  Indiana,  has  been  appointed  major  of 
the  Third  Battalion  of  First  Tennessee  (Ne 
gro)  Artillery. 

Perhaps  you  remember  a  German  boy 
named  August  Hitzfield,  who  used  to  live  in 
our  family  in  Fort  Wayne  many  years  ago. 
He  learned  to  speak  English  with  us,  and 

68 


mother  taught  him  to  read  and  write  English. 
He  is  now  in  Memphis,  one  of  the  firm  of  Mil 
ler  &  Hitzfield,  Wholesale  Grocers  and  Com 
mission  Merchants,  95  Front  Row.  I  heard 
Monday  evening  that  he  was  in  Memphis,  and 
had  been  inquiring  for  me.  I  went  immediate 
ly  to  his  place  of  business,  but  found  it  closed. 
The  next  morning  it  rained  so  hard  that  I  did 
not  leave  the  boat.  I  regret  very  much  that  I 
did  not  see  him. 

STEAMER  BELLE  MEMPHIS, 

JUNE  11,  1863. 

Arrived  at  the  place  on  the  Yazoo  River, 
where  supplies  are  landed  for  General  Grant's 
army,  about  7  o'clock  this  morning.  Stopped 
there  some  time.  The  G.  W.  Graham  is  with 
us,  but  the  other  boats  have  not  yet  come  up. 
We  are  on  our  way  to  Haines'  Bluff,  where 
we  will  unload. 

I  shall  send  this  by  Colonel  Lucas,  Six 
teenth  Indiana,  who  goes  north  to-day. 

SNYDER'S  BLUFF,  YAZOO  RIVER,  Miss. 

SATURDAY,  JUNE  13,  1863. 

I  wrote  you  on  the  loth,  and  added  a  line 
on  the  nth.    In  that  letter  I  said  we  were  go- 
69 


ing  to  Haines'  Bluff.  This  was  a  mistake. 
We  landed  at  Snyder's  Bluff,  three  miles  be 
low.  Our  fleet  consisted  of  sixteen  transports, 
heavily  loaded,  containing  at  least  ten  thou 
sand  men. 

These  bluffs  are  very  strong  by  nature,  and 
the  Confederates  had  expended  a  great  deal 
of  labor  here,  making  them  next  to  impreg 
nable.  You  will  recollect  that  they  were  not 
taken  by  assault,  but  were  evacuated  by  the 
Confederates,  who  feared  they  would  be  cut 
off  from  Vicksburg. 

We  are  camped  near  the  top  of  the  ridge, 
and  have  a  fine  view  of  the  country  and  the 
Yazoo  River.  Are  about  eighteen  miles  from 
the  Mississippi  at  the  mouth  of  the  Yazoo. 
We  can  easily  see,  across  the  country,  the 
smoke  of  the  steamers  going  up  the  Mississippi. 

On  the  day  we  arrived  here,  there  was  con 
siderable  fighting  in  the  rear  of  Vicksburg,  as 
we  could  plainly  hear  the  artillery  and  mus 
ketry  of  the  land  forces,  and  the  shelling  from 
the  mortar-boats.  This  continued,  at  inter 
vals,  during  the  whole  day.  There  was  firing 
again  last  night. 

General  Grant's  headquarters  are  in  the  rear 
of  Vicksburg,  about  the  centre  of  his  line.  He 

70 


has  telegraphic  communication  along  the 
whole  line  encircling  the  city,  and  also  with 
Haines'  and  Snyder's  Bluffs,  and  with  Chick- 
asaw  Bayou  Landing,  three  or  four  miles  be 
low  us. 

The  weather  is  warm,  but  we  have  a  good 
breeze  and  several  springs  of  good  water.  My 
impression  is  that  this  is  a  healthful  place. 
General  Grant's  army  is  reported  very  healthy. 

Your  letter  of  June  ist  and  one  from  mother 
of  the  3d  received  yesterday.  This  mail  was 
brought  from  Memphis  on  General  Smith's 
boat,  New  Kentucky. 

Lieutenant  Williamson,  who  was  with  me 
as  aide  to  General  Smith,  was  severely  wound 
ed  in  the  leg,  on  May  3ist,  in  the  rear  of  Vicks- 
burg.  Was  then  on  General  Buckland's  staff. 
He  was  in  a  sitting  position,  when  a  musket 
ball  entered  the  knee  of  the  left  leg  and  came 
out  at  the  hip  —  a  very  dangerous  wound.  I 
understand  he  has  been  sent  north. 

My  friend  Tucker  has  had  a  lift.  Has  been 
detailed  on  General  Smith's  staff  as  division 
quartermaster. 

Our  court-martial  has  been  dissolved,  and 
I  am  now  once  more  with  my  regiment. 

Our  brigade  has  one  thousand  men  a  day 
71 


at  work  on  the  fortifications  looking  east. 
With  a  little  work  we  can  make  these  bluffs 
impregnable.  We  are  wonderfully  well  pro 
tected  by  steep  hills  and  deep  ravines. 

Three  divisions  of  General  Hurlburt's  army 
corps  are  now  here.  The  entire  corps  is  com 
ing  to  this  point.  We  shall  remain  here  un 
til  Vicksburg  surrenders,  and  perhaps  some 
time  after. 

General  Johnson  cannot  raise  the  siege 
without  first  taking  these  bluffs,  for  if  he  goes 
by  us  and  attacks  the  besieging  army,  we  are 
in  a  fine  flanking  position  and  can  close  in  be 
hind  him. 

TREMONT  HOUSE,  CHICAGO,  ILLS. 

SUNDAY,  JUNE  21,  1863. 

You  will  wonder  why  I  am  here.  On  Sat 
urday,  (the  1 3th)  I  received  notice  of  my  ap 
pointment  by  President  Lincoln  to  the  position 
of  commissary  of  subsistence,  U.  S.  Volun 
teers,  with  the  rank  of  captain,  dated  June  ist, 
with  orders  to  report  in  person  to  Major-Gen 
eral  Rosecrans.  I  also  received  a  letter  from 
father  dated  June  2d,  saying  that  he  had  been 
to  Washington,  urging  my  appointment,  and 
hoping  I  would  receive  it  in  the  course  of 
72 


three  or  four  weeks,  and  that  when  I  did,  it 
would  be  expected  that  I  should  take  time 
enough  to  come  home  to  have  my  bond  (six 
thousand  dollars)  fixed  up.  I  left  the  Yazoo 
River  the  next  Monday  on  the  Alice  Dean,* 
and  arrived  at  Memphis,  Wednesday,  at  8  p. 
M.  Thirty-five  miles  below  Memphis  we  were 
fired  into  by  the  Confederates  —  two  hundred 
men  and  two  pieces  of  artillery.  The  balls 
flew  uncomfortably  thick,  but  we  were  not  dis 
abled,  and  succeeded  in  running  by.  One  man 
(a  deck-hand)  was  shot  through  by  a  six- 
pound  ball  and  killed  almost  instantly.  An 
other  was  slightly  wounded.  One  musket 
ball  passed  through  my  stateroom,  but  luckily 
I  was  not  there.  The  Confederates  were  at 
a  bend  in  the  river,  and  to  clear  the  bar  we 
were  obliged  to  run  quite  near  the  shore.  I 
learn  that  the  day  before,  boats  were  fired  upon 
between  Memphis  and  Cairo.  It  is  getting 
dangerous  to  travel  on  the  river. 

Left    Memphis    Thursday    evening,    made 

*  A  few  weeks  later  the  Alice  Dean  was  captured  and 
burned  on  the  Ohio  River  by  the  troops  of  General  John 
Morgan  on  their  raid  through  the  States  of  Indiana  and 
Ohio. 

73 


Cairo  Friday  night,  and  last  night  arrived 
here. 

Have  some  business  to  attend  to  to-morrow, 
and  shall  reach  home  to-morrow  night.  If 
possible,  will  steal  a  few  days  to  visit  you.  I 
imagine  father  knows  nothing  yet  of  my  ap 
pointment.  My  arrival  will  be  a  surprise. 

Do  not  rely  too  much  on  seeing  me,  but  if 
it  is  among  the  possibilities,  I  shall  be  with  you. 

CHICAGO,  ILLS. 
SUNDAY,  JULY  5,  1863. 

I  arrived  home  safely  on  Saturday  morn 
ing.*  The  only  delay  was  at  Harrisburgh, 
where  I  had  to  change  cars  in  the  night. 

As  to  my  clerk;  the  railroad  ticket-agent 
objected  to  having  his  son  go,  and  Ainsworth 
could  not  tell  for  a  few  days  whether  he  would 
take  the  position,  having  something  else  just 
then  in  view.  So  yesterday  I  took  the  train 
for  Chicago  to  see  a  young  man  named  Moore. 
Since  arriving  here,  I  find  that  he  has  gone  to 
Milwaukee.  Shall  telegraph  him  to  meet  me 
here.  In  the  meantime  I  shall  be  on  the  look 
out  for  others.  Am  afraid  I  shall  have  trouble 

*  After  making  the  visit  proposed  in  preceding  letter. 
74 


finding  a  suitable  clerk,  and  that  my  return  to 
the  army  will  be  somewhat  delayed. 

INDIANAPOLIS,  IND. 

JULY  10,  1863. 

I  wrote  you  last  from  Chicago.  Remained 
there  until  Tuesday  evening  in  search  of  a 
clerk,  and  succeeded,  I  think,  in  getting  a  very 
good  one.  He  is  a  young  man  with  two 
years'  experience  in  business.  Writes  a  beau 
tiful  and  rapid  hand,  is  quick  at  figures,  and 
understands  book-keeping.  He  seems  to  be 
honest  and  reliable,  and  I  trust,  in  time,  will 
make  me  an  excellent  clerk.  His  name  is 
John  F.  Degnon,  and  his  parents  reside  in 
Cleveland,  Ohio. 

I  left  Fort  Wayne  yesterday  morning,  and 
my  clerk  joined  me  here  in  the  afternoon.  I 
am  ready  to  leave,  and  may  get  away  this  af 
ternoon,  although  General  Morgan,  who  is  in 
Indiana  with  eight  thousand  Confederates, 
may  play  the  deuce  with  the  railroads,  and  de 
tain  me  here  several  days.  This  city  is  in 
great  fear  of  him.  There  are  no  troops  in  the 
State,  all  having  been  sent,  a  few  days  since, 
to  defend  Louisville,  Ky.  The  stores  were 
closed  yesterday  at  3  p.  M.,  and  the  people 
75 


turned  out  to  drill.  All  officers  in  the  city  were 
required  to  report  at  General  Wilcox's  head 
quarters,  I  among  the  rest. 

We  are  exceedingly  rejoiced  at  the  surren 
der  of  Vicksburg. 

My  health  continues  good. 

INDIANAPOLIS,  IND. 

JULY,  12,  1863. 

We  are  still  in  the  midst  of  great  excite 
ment.  A  bridge  was  burned  by  the  Confed 
erates  at  Vienna,  on  the  Louisville  Railroad, 
and  the  travel  on  the  road  stopped.  I  under 
stand,  however,  that  it  is  now  about  rebuilt. 
Shall  make  an  attempt  to  go  through  to-mor 
row.  Leave  here  at  7  A.  M.  Several  regiments 
of  militia  were  sent  from  here  yesterday  and  to 
day,  to  head  off  the  raiders.  Have  heard  of 
no  engagement  yet.  General  Morgan's  force 
keeps  about  thirty  miles  from  the  Ohio  River, 
and  seems  to  be  moving  eastward.  The  militia 
of  our  State  has  turned  out  with  very  much 
more  spirit  and  alacrity  than  that  of  Pennsyl 
vania. 

NASHVILLE,  TENN. 
TUESDAY,  JULY  14,  1863. 

Left    Indianapolis    yesterday    morning    and 
came    through    to    Louisville    all    right,    the 
76 


bridge  having  been  repaired.  Arrived .  here 
at  6  o'clock  this  evening.  Soon  after,  Gen 
eral  Rosecrans  and  staff  came  in  on  train  from 
the  front.  Seems  to  be  merely  on  a  visit.  I 
reported  to  his  acljutatnt-general,  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Goddard,  also  to  the  chief-commissary, 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Simmons,  who  ordered  me 
to  proceed  to  Tullahoma  and  await  his  arrival 
there.  Says  I  will  not  be  placed  immediately 
on  duty,  but  will  have  time  to  get  an  insight 
into  the  business.  Seems  to  be  a  pleasant  gen 
tleman.  Leave  at  6  o'clock  in  the  morning. 

HEADQUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  CUMBERLAND, 

TULLAHOMA,  TENN.,  FRIDAY,  JULY  17,  1863. 

Arrived  here  Wednesday  noon.  Am  stay 
ing  with  Howard  Stansbury,  a  lieutenant  in 
the  regular  army  and  an  old  schoolmate,  who 
is  now  here  in  the  office  of  the  commissary  of 
musters.  Besides  Stansbury,  I  found  two 
other  schoolmates  on  General  Rosecrans' 
staff,  Captain  Thorns  and  Lieutenant  Porter. 
Gwynne  Anderson  and  young  Fleming  of  Fort 
Wayne  are  clerks  in  Stansbury's  office. 

General    Rosecrans    and    Colonel    Simmons 
have  not  returned.     Look  for  them  tomorrow. 
Have  no  idea  where  I  shall  be  assigned. 
77 


The  Thirtieth  Indiana  and  Simonson's  Bat 
tery  (Fort  Wayne)  are  here.  Have  met  a 
host  of  friends  and  acquaintances,  many  more 
than  I  expected  to  see. 

Have  not  yet  seen  Henry,  nor  Montgom 
ery  Hamilton.  Henry  is  with  his  battery 
again.  The  company  was  so  short  of  officers 
that  it  was  necessary  he  should  return.  The 
battery  is  in  General  Sheridan's  division  on 
the  front,  about  twenty-five  miles  distant.  The 
railroad  is  running  only  to  Elk  River,  eight 
miles  from  here.  Expect  bridge  to  be  finished 
on  Sunday,  when  trains  will  probably  go 
through  to  Stevenson,  Ala. 

We  need  not  expect  any  fighting  very  soon. 
General  Bragg's  army  has  left  the  State  en 
tirely.  They  left  here  in  a  hurry.  General 
Rosecrans  had  flanked  them,  and,  but  for 
heavy  rains  and  bad  roads,  would  have  made 
them  fight. 

The  members  of  General  Rosecrans'  staff 
number  about  sixty. 

The  widow   of   Allan   Battle,*   who   is  an 

*  Joel  Allan  Battle,  Lavergne,  Term.  Graduated 
from  Miami  University,  Oxford,  Ohio,  1859.  Adjutant 
Twentieth  Tennessee  Infantry,  C.  S.  A.,  1861-62.  Killed 
at  the  Battle  of  Shiloh,  April  7,  1862. 

78 


uncompromising  sympathizer  with  the  .Con 
federates,  and  who  has  been  traveling  all  over 
the  South,  was  picked  up  near  here  a  few 
days  since  by  General  McCook,  and  has  been 
sent  north  to  remain  during  the  war.  Her 
father,  who  lives  in  Chillicothe,  Ohio,  has  fre 
quently  written  to  her  to  return  home,  but  she 
refused,  preferring  to  stay  with  her  husband's 
friends.  You  doubtless  recollect  my  telling 
you  of  Allan  Battle,  a  class-mate  in  law-school 
in  Cincinnati,  during  winter  of  1  860-61. 


TULLAHOMA, 

JULY  22,  1863. 

While  in  Nashville  yesterday  I  saw  Colonel 
Simmons,  chief-commissary,  who  gave  me 
orders  to  report  to  Captain  Blair,  post-com 
missary  at  Decherd,  thirteen  miles  south  of 
this  place.  My  position  there  is  only  tempor 
ary,  and  merely  for  the  purpose  of  learning 
from  Captain  Blair  the  duties  of  a  commis 
sary. 

Returned  from  Nashville  this  morning,  and 

stopped  here  for  my  traps  and  for  my  horse, 

which  I  bought,  the  other  day,  from  Lieuten 

ant  Davies,  an  Oxford  school-mate,  who  has 

79 


been  ordered  to  Columbus,  Ohio,  for  duty  in 
the  provost  marshall's  office. 

Shall  go  to  Decherd  in  the  morning.  Am 
delighted  with  the  prospect  of  having  a  stop 
ping-place,  for  I  am  sick  of  running  about 
from  pillar  to  post. 

General  Rosecrans  and  family  are  still  in 
Nashville.  His  headquarters,  which  were 
here  when  I  left,  were  moved  yesterday  to 
Winchester,  fifteen  miles  south. 

I  am  staying  now  at  headquarters  of  Second 
Brigade,  Johnson's  division,  Colonel  Dodge  of 
Thirtieth  Indiana  commanding.  Captain 
Ed.  Edsall,  Thirtieth  Indiana,  is  the  acting- 
assistant-adjutant-general  for  this  brigade,  but 
at  present  he  is  in  Murfreesboro. 

NASHVILLE,  TENN. 

JULY  26,  1863. 

Captain  Blair  intends  putting  me  to  issu 
ing  supplies  to  detachments  and  making  sales 
to  officers  at  Decherd.  He  supplies,  from 
Decherd,  three  army  corps,  and  issues  only  in 
bulk.  I  was  sent  here  to  procure  the  necessary 
articles  to  transact  the  business,  viz;  desk, 
table,  scales,  measures,  tents,  stationery,  etc. 
Shall  return  Tuesday. 

80 


Have  not  seen  Henry  yet.  The  Eighty- 
eighth  Indiana,  Colonel  Humphrey,  is  at 
Decherd.  Saw  the  boys  yesterday.  General 
Thomas'  headquarters  are  there,  and  Gen 
eral  Negley's  division  also.  Major  Lowrie, 
General  Negley's  adjutant-general,  is  a  neph 
ew  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Lowrie,  of  Fort  Wayne. 
Am  meeting  more  and  more  old  friends  every 
day.  Yesterday,  at  Decherd,  met  an  Oxford 
class-mate,  who  is  lieutenant-colonel  of  the 
Fifteenth  Kentucky. 

Generals  Crittenden  and  McCook  have  gone 
home.  Generals  Rosecrans  and  Rousseau  are 
here. 

DECHERD,  TENN. 

JULY  28,  1863. 

I  succeeded  in  getting  in  Nashville  nearly 
everything  I  wanted,  except  platform  scales, 
without  which  I  cannot  work  at  all.  Will  go 
over  in  the  morning  to  Winchester  to  see 
Colonel  Simmons  in  regard  to  getting  them 
for  me.  Shall  hardly  get  into  business  before 
the  first  of  August. 

Henry  reached  Nashville  while  I  was  there, 
having  been  sent  up  after  horses  for  his  bat 
tery.  He  looks  well. 

81 


Montgomery  Hamilton  has  been  sick,  and 
started  home  to-day  on  a  visit. 

DECHERD,  TEXN. 

JULY  31,  1863. 

I  have  not  yet  started  in  business  at  this 
post,  and  shall  not,  as  I  have  to-day  been  or 
dered  to  the  Third  Brigade,  Fourth  Division, 
Fourteenth  Army  Corps.  General  Turchin 
commands  the  brigade,  General  Reynolds  the 
division,  and  General  Thomas  the  corps. 
General  Turchin  is  a  Russian  by  birth,  and 
was  formerly  Colonel  of  the  General-Staff,  in 
the  Imperial  Guards  of  Russia.  I  am  ac 
quainted  with  General  Reynolds,  commanding 
the  division.  He  is  an  old  friend  of  father's. 
Montgomery  Hamilton  is  on  his  staff  as  volun 
teer  aide-de-camp. 

The  brigade  moves  to-morrow  to  a  spot  in 
the  mountains  called  University  Place,  about 
twelve  miles  south,  and  a  little  way  off  the 
railroad.  It  is  said  to  be  a  pleasant,  cool  place, 
with  plenty  of  good  water.  My  clerk  is  still 
with  me,  of  course,  and  bids  fair  to  make  a 
very  good  one. 

Went   over   to   Winchester,    General   Rose- 

82 


crans'    headquarters,    to-day,    and    was    there 
paid  up  to  the  first  of  August. 

Have  not  seen  Henry  since  I  left  him  in 
Nashville. 

HEADQUARTERS  THIRD  BRIGADE,  FOURTH  DIVISION, 
FOURTEENTH  CORPS,  UNIVERSITY  PLACE,  TENN. 
FRIDAY,  AUGUST  7,  1863. 

Your  two  letters  received  last  Tuesday,  but 
until  now  I  have  been  unable  to  answer  them, 
owing  to  the  rush  of  business  and  the  hard 
work  consequent  upon  assuming  the  duties  of 
my  new  position.  Have  been  riding  up  and 
down  the  mountain,  fifteen  to  eighteen  miles, 
every  day  since  I  came  up  here.  I  joined  the 
brigade  on  Sunday,  returned  to  Decherd  on 
Monday,  up  again  on  Tuesday,  down  on 
Wednesday,  and  returned  on  Thursday.  We 
are  encamped  upon  the  top  of  the  Cumberland 
Mountains.  The  Second  Brigade,  on  the  site 
of  the  grand  Southern  University  that  was  to 
have  been,  and  our  brigade  about  one  and  a 
quarter  miles  farther  south.  From  Decherd 
to  the  foot  of  the  mountain  is  four  miles,  up 
the  mountain  two  miles,  and  four  more  to  the 
University.  There  is  also  a  road  to  Cowan, 
seven  miles.  This  is  one  of  the  best  camping- 

83 


grounds  I  know  of.  Near  our  quarters  is  a 
very  large  spring  of  the  clearest  and  finest 
water  I  ever  drank.  The  only  drawback  is 
the  difficulty  of  hauling  supplies  up  the  moun 
tain.  However,  if  we  remain  here  long,  they 
will  be  brought  to  us  by  the  railroad,  which 
runs  up  the  mountain  from  Cowan  to  the  coal 
mines  at  Tracy  City.  General  Reynolds' 
headquarters  and  the  First  Brigade  (Colonel 
Wilder)  are  still  near  Decherd. 

This  place  is  so  delightful  and  cool  that  T 
had  hoped  we  might  be  permitted  to  spend  the 
whole  summer  here,  but  I  fear  it  is  not  our 
lot  to  enjoy  such  a  luxury,  as  orders  were  re 
ceived  to-night  to  supply  and  pack  ten  days' 
rations  for  the  men,  and  make  preparations 
for  a  move.  This  order  comes  from  General 
Rosecrans,  and  applies,  I  suppose,  to  most  of 
the  army.  Where  we  go  I  do  not  know,  but 
conjecture  to  the  Tennessee  River  along  the 
line  of  the  Memphis-and-Charleston  Railroad, 
near  Stevenson,  Ala.  We  do  not  expect  any 
fight  nearer  than  Atlanta,  Ga.  The  Confed 
erate  forces  are  wasting  fast.  Deserters  from 
their  army  are  coming  in  every  day.  Sixteen 
came  into  our  camp  to-day. 

The  commissary  business  was  rather  tough 

84 


for  me  at  first,  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  bri 
gade  had  just  changed  commanders.  General 
Crook  had  carried  off  with  him  his  entire 
staff,  and  even  the  sergeant  who  was  issuing- 
clerk  in  the  commissary  department.  General 
Turchin  was  a  stranger  to  the  brigade,  and  his 
staff  all  strangers  to  him,  except  his  adjutant- 
general.  Add  to  this,  the  moving  of  the  bri 
gade  to  the  top  of  a  mountain,  up  which  the 
teams  could  scarcely  do  more  than  pull  empty 
wagons,  yet  over  which  road  the  brigade  must 
be  supplied  with  provisions.  The  prospect 
was  discouraging.  But,  after  all,  it  was  a  good 
thing  to  break  me  in.  My  citizen-clerk  (Deg- 
non)  took  hold  admirably,  and  for  a  few  days 
we  worked  early  and  late.  We  are  straightened 
out  now,  and  every  thing  works  smoothly. 
The  old  issuing-sergeant  has  returned,  and  I 
have  had  two  others  detailed  to  assist  him. 
My  sales  to  officers,  this  week,  amount  to  two 
hundred  and  seventy-five  dollars.  You  did 
not  know,  perhaps,  that  I  was  running  a  re 
tail  grocery.  Have  not  yet  been  able  to  pro 
cure  any  whisky.  When  I  do,  my  sales  will 
increase  largely. 

Henry's  battery  has  gone  on  to  Stevenson. 
It  may  be  that,  as  the  troops  push  forward,  our 

85 


brigade  may  come  within  calling  distance  of 
McCook's  corps,  and  Henry  and  I  may  meet. 

UNIVERSITY  PLACE,  TENN., 
THURSDAY,  AUG.  13,  1863. 

Everything  in  my  department  is  working 
smoothly,  and  I  have  no  reason  to  complain. 
The  whole  army  is  moving  forward,  and  there 
is  a  prospect  of  our  brigade's  going  on  Sun 
day. 

Last  Saturday  about  eighty  pounds  of  pow 
der,  belonging  to  the  Twenty-first  Indiana 
Battery,  exploded,  through  some  carelessness, 
and  severely  injured  six  men,  burning  them 
horribly  on  faces,  hands,  and  bodies,  and 
burning  their  hair  to  a  crisp.  One  of  the  num 
ber  has  since  died,  and  others  are  not  expect 
ed  to  survive. 

Spent  last  night  in  Decherd  with  Colonel 
Humphrey,  whose  regiment,  the  Eighty- 
eighth  Indiana,  is  there. 

My  friend  Captain  Blair,  commissary  of 
subsistence,  is  about  leaving  for  Stevenson, 
which  is  now  to  be  the  depot  of  supplies  for 
the  army. 

Raining  to-day.  Weather  has  been  very 
warm,  but  we  have  cool  nights,  and,  take  it 
altogether,  I  do  not  think  we  suffer  any  more 

86 


from  the  heat  than  you,  who  live  in  the  far 
north. 

JASPER,  TENN., 
SATURDAY,  AUG.  22,  1863. 

Left  the  mountain  last  Monday.  Stopped 
one  day  at  Stevens'  Cove  at  the  foot  of  the 
mountain,  two  days  at  Battle  Creek,  and  ar 
rived  here  last  evening.  General  Reynolds  is 
here.  Wilder's  brigade  (mounted)  is  at 
Tracy  City  on  the  mountain. 

Weather  warm.  Have  been  half  sick  for 
past  ten  days,  though  not  confined  to  my  bed. 
Threatened  with  ague  and  a  bilious  attack,  sim 
ilar  to  that  I  had  last  spring  in  Lagrange.  Am 
much  better  now. 

Have  not  heard  from  Henry  since  I  came  to 
this  brigade. 

JASPER,  TENN., 
WEDNESDAY,  AUG.  26,  1863. 

For  the  past  two  days  I  have  been  and  am 
still,  in  the  officers'  hospital,  where  I  can  have 
quiet  and  rest.  My  appetite  has  returned,  and 
I  rode  out  this  morning.  Think  I  shall  speed 
ily  recover  now.  It  is  not  the  hot  weather  that 
bothers  us  so  much,  as  it  is  the  want  of  proper 
food.  Have  been  hard  up  for  many  supplies. 
Yesterday  our  brigade-baker  came,  and  at 

87 


same  time  we  received  a  stock  of  flour,  so  that 
hereafter  we  shall  have  soft,  instead  of  hard 
bread. 

General  Rosecrans  was  over  here  to  see  us 
yesterday,  and  while  here  received  a  dispatch 
that  Fort  Sumter  had  fallen  and  that  our  forces 
were  bombarding  Charleston. 

JASPER,  TENN., 
SATURDAY,  AUG.  29,  1863. 

I  returned  from  the  hospital  this  morning.  I 
am  well,  or  nearly  so,  and  yet  I  have  no  life  or 
energy  to  do  anything,  no  heart  for  business. 
Every  little  sickness  I  have  gives  me  the  blues, 
and  at  once  puts  me  in  the  notion  of  getting 
out  of  the  service.  I  must  have  perfect  health, 
or  the  service  is  intolerable. 

General  McCook's  corps  commenced  crossing 
the  river  at  Stevenson  this  morning.  We  shall 
probably  cross  here  next  week.  Henry  is  in 
McCook's  corps,  and  will  probably  cross  the 
river  to-day. 

SHELLMOUND,  TENN., 
WEDNESDAY,  SEPT.  2,  1863. 

Yesterday  morning  we  broke  camp  at  Jas 
per  and  moved  forward  six  miles  to  the  river, 
crossed  on  small  ferry-boats,  rowed  by  the  men, 
and  camped  on  this  side.  General  Reynolds 

88 


moved  his  quarters  over  to-day,  and  the  whole 
division  is  now  across.  Our  supply-train,  with 
rations  to  the  25th  of  this  month,  will  be  over 
by  12  o'clock  to-night. 

General  Crittenden's  corps  is  now  at  Jasper, 
our  old  camp,  and  will  cross  here  Friday. 

Shellmound  is  the  name  of  a  station  on  the 
Nashville-and-Chattanooga  Railroad,  eight 
miles  from  Bridgeport  and  twenty-two  miles 
from  Chattanooga.  The  railroad  here  runs 
close  to  the  bank  of  the  Tennessee,  which,  by 
the  way,  is  a  much  wider  and  deeper  stream 
than  I  had  expected  to  see. 

We  are  now  in  the  enemy's  country  with  only 
a  few  miles  between  us  and  him.  There  can 
be  no  retreating  now,  as  it  would  be  folly  to 
attempt  to  recross  the  river  in  a  hurry. 

Our  forces  intend  rebuilding  the  large  rail 
road  bridge  at  Bridgeport,  burned  by  General 
Bragg  in  his  retreat. 

I  have  about  regained  my  health. 

TRENTON,  GEORGIA, 
MONDAY,  SEPT,  7,  1863. 

We  marched  from  Shellmound,  Tenn.  on  the 
3d,  and  crossed  Sand  Mountain,  camped  one 
day  at  the  foot,  and  moved  on  five  miles  to  this 
place.  In  the  evening  of  the  day  we  arrived  I 

89 


happened  to  be  riding  out  and  came  across  Gen 
eral  Sheridan's  division,  which  had  just  ar 
rived  from  Bridgeport.  Henry  is  in  this  divi 
sion  and  I  immediately  looked  him  up.  He  is 
well  and  hearty.  His  division  left  the  next 
day  (yesterday)  at  noon,  going  up  the  valley 
sixteen  miles  to  Valley  Head.  He  belongs  to 
General  McCook's  corps,  which  is  moving 
towards  Rome. 

General  Thomas,  our  corps-commander,  has 
his  headquarters  about  two  miles  from  here  on 
the  Bridgeport  road.  General  Rosecrans,  with 
a  portion  of  his  staff,  arrived  last  evening.  He 
will  probably  establish  his  headquarters  here 
for  a  while. 

Trenton  is  the  county-seat  of  Bade  County. 
Has  two  churches,  three  stores,  court-house, 
mill,  and  blacksmith  shop.  It  is  eighteen  miles 
southwest  of  Chattanooga,  and  is  connected 
with  the  latter  place  by  a  good  railroad,  which 
is  finished  only  to  this  place,  but  was  intended 
to  run  to  some  point  in  Alabama.  We  cap 
tured,  at  the  station,  one  hundred  bushels  of 
fine  salt,  belonging  to  the  State  of  Georgia,  and 
intended  for  distribution  among  the  families  of 
the  soldiers. 

This  movement  is  a  very  bold  one,  and  we 

90 


are  getting  a  long  way  from  our  supplies. 
When  we  cross  Lookout  Mountain  in  front  of 
us,  and  get  into  the  Chattanooga  Valley,  there 
will  be  two  mountains,  and  more  than  twenty 
miles  between  us  and  Bridgeport,  over  which 
we  must  wagon  our  supplies. 

Our  corps  is  up  to  time,  but  that  of  General 
McCook  is  behind.  He  should  have  been  at 
Valley  Head,  Sept.  4th.  His  destination,  as  I 
said  before,  is  Rome.  General  Crittenden's 
corps  is  on  our  left,  moving  along  the  railroad 
to  Chattanooga.  Our  division  will  probably 
move  up  the  valley  to-morrow  and  cross  Look 
out  Mountain  at  the  first  gap.  We  shall  then 
be  in  the  rear  of  Chattanooga  and  near  the  rail 
road  from  there  to  Atlanta.  We  are  on  the 
eve  of  great  events. 

P.  S.  Sept.  9.  Still  at  Trenton.  Cannot 
say  when  we  shall  move.  It  is  supposed  that 
General  Bragg's  forces  are  evacuating  Chatta 
nooga. 

IN  THE  FIELD,  GEORGIA, 
WEDNESDAY,  SEPT.  16,  1863. 

We  left   Trenton   last  Thursday.      Crossed 
Lookout   Mountain  on   Friday.    As  we  came 
lown  to  the  foot  of  the  mountain  had  a  skir- 


91 


mish  with  the  enemy.  Bullets  whistled  freely 
over  our  heads.  Had  one  man  wounded  in  the 
arm.  That  night  our  pickets  captured  three 
Confederate  cavalrymen. 

On  Monday  moved  four  miles  forward  to 
this  point.  The  Confederates  hold  the  gaps  in 
the  hills  just  in  front  of  us.  Our  pickets  and 
theirs  are  not  three  hundred  yards  apart.  Gen 
eral  Turchin,  with  infantry  and  artillery,  went 
out  this  morning  to  drive  the  enemy  into  the 
gap.  Have  not  heard  from  him  yet. 

Colonel  Wilder's  mounted  brigade,  which 
belongs  to  this  division,  has  joined  us  again. 

General  Crittenden's  corps  is  on  our  left,  his 
pickets  touching  ours.  Headquarters  of  Gen 
erals  Rosecrans  and  Thomas  are  four  or  five 
miles  back.  General  McCook's  corps  was  ten 
miles  to  our  right,  but  I  understand  it  has  been 
ordered  back  to  join  us.  The  other  divisions  of 
our  corps  are  immediately  on  the  right  of  ours. 

We  are  about  sixteen  miles  from  Chatta 
nooga,  a  little  west  of  south. 

Some  of  our  officers  expect  a  heavy  battle 
with  the  Confederates. 

As  we  came  down  Lookout  Mountain,  had 
a  splendid  view  of  a  fight  going  on  between 
General  Negley's  division  and  the  Confeder- 
92 


ates,  in  the  valley,  about  seven  miles  away.-  We 
could  plainly  hear  the  cannonading,  and  could 
see  the  flashes  and  the  smoke  from  the  guns. 
It  was  a  fine  sight,  especially  when  viewed  at 
so  safe  a  distance. 

CHATTANOOGA,  TENN. 
SUNDAY,  SEPT.  27,  1863*. 

I  am  ashamed  that  my  last  letter  was  dated 
a  long  time  ago  —  the  i6th.  My  excuse  is  that 
we  have  been  so  unsettled  that  there  has  been 
scarcely  any  opportunity  to  write. 

I  shall  not  attempt  to  describe  the  battle 
(Chickamauga).  The  newspapers  have  told  the 
story  better  than  I  could.  Our  experiences 
have  been  of  the  roughest  kind — on  the  march 
from  four  o'clock  p.  M.  on  the  i8th,  until  the 
next  morning — then  a  hard  fight  for  two  days, 
and  a  retreat  of  ten  miles  to  Chattanooga.  For 
four  days  and  nights,  I  never  took  off  my 
clothes.  The  troops  are  now  in  Chattanooga 
and  have  fortified  the  place,  and  I  think  will 
hold  it.  Our  trains  are  across  the  river  for 
safety. 

I  saw  Henry  with  his  guns  in  position  on 
Sunday  morning,  a  few  minutes  before  the  sec 
ond  day's  fight  began.  After  our  lines  were 
93 


broken  and  the  trains  were  ordered  to  Chatta 
nooga,  I  heard,  through  Captain  Edsall,  that 
Henry  was  wounded  in  the  right  wrist.  I 
turned  back  and  tried  to  find  him,  but  failed. 
Saw  him  here  the  next  morning  and  took  him  to 
the  officers'  hospital,  where  his  wound  was 
dressed.  Telegraphed  home  to  father  that  he 
was  safe,  but  wounded.  He  was  sent  on  Tues 
day  to  Bridgeport.  Will  probably  go  home  as 
soon  as  he  is  able.  The  wound  was  by  musket 
ball,  and  the  bones  of  the  wrist  are  injured. 
Even  if  he  does  not  lose  his  hand,  his  fingers 
will  probably  be  stiff  and  his  hand  of  little  use. 
Henry  had  two  guns  under  his  charge,  which 
were  more  hotly  engaged  than  the  rest  of  the 
battery.  The  enemy  got  his  guns.  Captain 
Sutermeister,  Eleventh  Indiana  Battery,  says 
Henry  fought  bravely  and  stood  his  ground  to 
the  very  last,  and  that  it  was  impossible  to 
save  his  guns.  Says  the  order  was  given  to 
withdraw,  but  thinks  Henry  did  not  receive  it. 
The  men  of  the  battery  are  warm  in  their  praise 
of  Henry's  bravery,  and  say  he  fired  the  guns 
himself,  after  his  men  had  left  them. 

General    Reynolds'    division    stood    like    a 
stone  wall  all  through  both  days'  fight.     Gen 
eral   Turchin,    commanding   our   brigade,   did 
94 


splendidly.  Was  all  the  time  in  the  thickest  of 
the  battle,  yet  so  well  did  he  handle  the  brigade 
that  its  loss  was  comparatively  small.  Turchin 
led  in  every  charge,  hat  in  hand.  His  men 
are  warmly  attached  to  him  since  this  fight. 
He  has  been  with  them  only  since  the  first  of 
August.  I  understand  the  newspaper  corre 
spondents  are  giving  Reynolds  and  Turchin 
great  praise  for  their  fighting.  They  deserve 
it. 

Captain  Lefevre,  Eighty-eighth  Indiana, 
and  Lieutenant  Phelps,  Thirtieth  Indiana,  from 
Fort  Wayne,  were  badly  wounded,  and  are 
either  prisoners,  or  dead.  All  others  from 
Fort  Wayne,  including  Calvin  Anderson,  are 
safe,  and  so  are  all  my  acquaintances,  so  far  as 
heard  from. 

No  knowing  how  long  we  shall  remain  here. 
Are  strongly  fortified,  but  all  our  supplies  have 
to  be  hauled  in  wagons  from  Stevenson.  The 
railroad  will  not  be  opened  until  the  first  of 
November. 


CHATTANOOGA,  TENN., 
MONDAY,  OCT.  5.,  1863. 

Your  letters  of  Sept.  I7th  and  2ist  were  re 
ceived   last  week   and   should   have  been   an- 
95 


swered  sooner,  but  really  I  have  been  so  occu 
pied,  day  and  night,  with  my  reports  (which  I 
had  no  opportunity  to  make  out  when  on  the 
march),  that  I  have  had  scarcely  a  moment's 
time. 

Have  not  heard  from  Henry  since  he  left. 
Suppose  he  is  now  at  home.  My  last  letter 
from  home,  dated  Sept.  23d,  said  that  my  tele 
graphic  dispatch  sent  Monday  morning  (2ist) 
was  received  Tuesday,  and  up  to  that  date,  was 
the  only  news  received  as  to  the  welfare  of  any 
one  from  Fort  Wayne,  engaged  in  the  Chicka- 
mauga  fight. 

Captain  Sutermeister  (Eleventh  Indiana 
Battery)  says  Henry  was  in  a  very  hot  place 
during  Sunday's  fight,  that  ten  of  the  horses  of 
his  section  were  shot,  and  five  of  his  six  drivers 
were  wounded,  that  Henry  sighted  the  last 
three  shots  himself,  and  fired  at  short  range, 
with  canister,  lengthwise  into  a  regiment  of 
Confederates  advancing  on  his  left,  mowing 
them  down  awfully,  and  some  of  the  men  say, 
bringing  down  the  colors  each  time.  While  he 
was  doing  this,  the  enemy  came  upon  him  on 
his  right  and  compelled  him  to  abandon  his 
guns.  It  was  just  after  he  had  mounted  his 
horse  to  ride  away  that  he  was  shot  in  the  right 

96 


wrist  by  a  musket-ball,  and  the  corporal,  who 
tied  a  handkerchief  above  the  wound,  was  in 
stantly  killed  as  he  turned  away  from  him. 

Our  position  here,  at  present,  is  a  very  crit 
ical  one.  The  Confederates  have  been  shelling 
us  vigorously  all  day  with  long-range  guns,  and 
their  camp  fires  are  plainly  seen  upon  the  hills 
about  us.  The  river  has  risen,  from  the  late 
rain,  and  washed  away  our  trestle-bridges,  and 
our  pontoon-bridge  is  not  yet  finished,  though 
we  hope  it  will  be  to-morrow.  The  troops, 
horses,  and  mules  are  on  half  rations.  All  our 
surplus  horses  and  one  third  the  battery  horses 
have  been  sent  to  Bridgeport,  where  horse-feed 
is  plenty.  There  is  not  an  ear  of  corn  anywhere 
about  here,  for  more  than  twenty-five  miles.  All 
our  rations  and  forage  are  hauled  in  wagons 
from  Stevenson,  forty-two  miles,  and  over  a 
mountain.  Last  week  the  enemy's  cavalry  cap 
tured  and  burned  fifty  of  our  wagons,  between 
here  and  Stevenson,  loaded  with  corn  and  quar 
termaster's  stores  (clothing  and  shoes).  Our 
railroad  will  not  be  open  before  the  first  of  No 
vember.  We  hope  to  hold  the  place,  but  if  we 
do,  we  must  stand  a  great  deal  of  shelling,  and 
go  several  days  hungry.  Our  reinforcements, 

97 


we  are  told,  are  near  at  hand,  and  we  trust  they 
will  be  able  to  help  us  in  opening  up  communi 
cations  and  increasing  the  supply  of  food. 

General  Thomas,  you  will  see  by  the  papers, 
was  the  great  man  in  our  late  battle.  He  stands 
very  high  with  the  army. 

My  impression  is  that  we  shall  be  able  to 
hold  our  position  here,  and  will  not  be  forced 
to  retreat  across  the  river. 

CHATTANOOGA,  TENN. 
MONDAY,  OCT.  12,  1863. 

Henry,  I  suppose,  is  at  home,  as  I  heard  that 
he  had  obtained  a  leave  of  absence  for  twenty 
days,  at  Nashville,  on  the  28th  September. 

All  is  quiet  here,  and  we  manage  to  get 
enough  to  eat. 

The  only  thing  of  interest  just  now  is  the 
entire  reorganization  of  this  army,  now  taking 
place.  I  cannot  tell  you  much  about  it,  as  there 
is  an  order  against  giving  such  information. 
Suffice  to  say,  that  our  old  division  is  broken 
up,  and  General  Reynolds  is  chief  of  staff  to 
General  Rosecrans,  a  very  prominent  and  re 
sponsible  position.  General  Turchin's  brigade 
has  been  enlarged  by  several  regiments.  All 

98 


regiments  of  the  brigade  are  now  Ohio  troops, 
except  one  (Eighty-second  Indiana).  Ours  is 
the  First  Brigade,  Third  Division,  Fourteenth 
Army  Corps.  General  Baird  commands  the  di 
vision,  and  General  Thomas  the  corps.  I  shall 
probably  continue  with  General  Turchin,  as  he 
has  requested  that  his  staff-organization  remain 
the  same.  Among  all  the  changes  that  have  tak 
en  place,  it  is  probable  that  I  might  have  secured 
a  place  with  a  division.  But  taken  all  in  all,  I 
prefer  being  with  the  old  brigade,  and  with 
General  Turchin,  whom  I  like  very  much. 

HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  BRIGADE,  THIRD  DIVISION, 

FOURTEENTH  CORPS,  CHATTANOOGA,  TENN. 

OCT.  15,  1863. 

I  have  made  up  my  mind  to  retire  from  the 
service  some  time  during  the  winter.  Learned 
lately  that  the  Government  looks  upon  quarter 
masters,  commissaries,  and  paymasters,  as  citi 
zens,  rather  than  as  soldiers,  and  that  they  have 
rights  and  privileges,  which  soldiers  have  not. 
I  have  no  doubt  at  all  that  I  can  resign  when 
ever  I  wish,  and  that  too,  without  giving  a 
reason.  So  about  the  first  of  January  I  shall 
express  my  desire  to  retire. 

99 


A  letter  from  home  says  Henry  arrived  there 
on  the  2d  of  the  month. 

Received  a  letter  yesterday  from  friend 
Tucker,  formerly  quartermaster  of  my  old  reg 
iment.  He  is  now  in  Louisville,  Ky.,  superin 
tending  the  building  of  a  railroad  for  the  Gov 
ernment.  He  was  appointed  captain  and  as 
sistant-quartermaster  by  the  President,  Aug. 
1 3th,  about  two  and  a  half  months  after  I  re 
ceived  my  commissary  appointment. 

It  has  rained  here  continuously  for  three 
days  and  nights  -  -  mud  deep,  roads  bad,  and 
river  rising  rapidly. 

Since  I  last  wrote,  I  received  orders  assigning 
me  to  a  brigade  in  General  Rousseau's  division, 
but  General  Turchin  insisted  that  I  should  re 
main  with  him,  which  I  was  glad  to  do,  having 
become  acquainted  with  the  officers  of  the  bri 
gade,  and  got  everything  into  good  running 
order.  My  orders  will  therefore  be  changed, 
and  I  shall  continue  with  General  Turchin. 

We  moved  our  headquarters  to-day  into  a 
large  two-story  brick  house,  lately  occupied  by 
General  Negley.  My  office  is  on  the  second 
floor,  and  I  have  a  store-room  down  town,  from 
which  supplies  are  issued. 

Our  brigade  has  seven  regiments,  viz ;  Elev- 
100 


enth,  Seventeenth,  Thirty-first,  Thirty-sixth, 
Eighty-ninth,  Ninety-second  Ohio,  and 
Eighty-second  Indiana. 

CHATTANOOGA,  TENN. 

OCT.  28,  1863. 

I  am  surprised  that  you  believe  me  to  have 
been  in  the  fight  at  Chickamauga.  Where  did 
you  get  that  impression?  I  was  around  as  a 
commissary  of  subsistence,  here  and  there, 
along  the  lines,  on  both  days,  but  always  a  lit 
tle  in  the  rear,  and  when  the  bullets  began  to 
whistle  close  to  me  and  the  shells  to  burst  over 
my  head,  I  remembered  that  I  had  an  engage 
ment  elsewhere.  Besides,  I  had  too  much  re 
gard  for  my  health  to  remain  where  they  were 
burning  so  much  gunpowder.  Do  not  fear 
that  I  shall  expose  myself  unnecessarily.  My 
bravery  is  not  of  the  reckless  kind. 

I  shall  start  my  resignation  papers  in  a  few 
days,  but  it  will  require  nearly  a  month  for 
them  to  go  to  Washington  and  return,  and  then 
ten  days  more  to  settle  my  accounts,  so  that  I 
shall  probably  not  reach  home  before  the  mid 
dle  of  December. 

A  letter  from  home  says  Henry's  wound  is 
doing  well. 

101 


General  Grant  is  here.  General  Thomas  has 
the  position  of  General  Rosecrans,  and  Gen 
eral  Palmer  that  of  General  Thomas  (the  Four 
teenth  Corps).  General  Hooker  came  in  to 
day.  His  army  is  just  below  here,  on  this  side 
of  the  river.  All  quiet.  Troops  on  half  ra 
tions. 

CHATTANOOGA,  TENN. 

Nov.  3,  1863. 

How  strange  and  how  amusing  that  you 
should  continue  to  believe  that  I  was  in  the 
battle  of  Chickamauga,  and  more  than  that, 
that  I  was  trying  to  deceive  you  in  regard  to 
the  fact.  Who  in  the  world  could  have  started 
the  story  of  my  "bravery "  and  "reckless  daring" 
in  the  late  battle  ?  The  Meeker  girls  commend 
ed  my  bravery,  did  they  ?  Bless  their  hearts !  I 
venture  to  say  that  they,  in  their  parlor,  were 
not  in  a  much  safer  position  than  was  I  dur 
ing  the  battle  of  Chickamauga.  I  almost  be 
lieve  that  all  your  talk  of  bravery  has  been  in 
irony. 

General  Turchin's  brigade  (ours)  has  again 
been  engaged  in  daring  and  dangerous  business. 
On  the  night  of  October  25th.,  Turchin's  and 

102 


Hazen's  brigades  crossed  the  river  five  miles 
below  here  in  the  face  of  the  enemy,  secured 
the  hills  on  the  other  side,  and  threw  over  a 
pontoon-bridge,  which  we  now  hold  and  use. 
Our  brigade  returned  to-day.  The  bridge  is 
now  covered  by  General  Hooker's  army.  Tur- 
chin,  by  the  way,  as  you  must  know,  is  a  very 
popular  general  and  very  much  relied  on  at 
headquarters.  If  there  is  any  hard  and  dan 
gerous  work  to  be  done,  Turchin  is  always  as 
signed  to  a  share  of  it. 

Lately  the  high  water  and  drift-wood  swept 
away  our  pontoons,  but  they  were  repaired  to 
day.  The  river  is  falling. 

Our  rations  are  now  brought  by  steamboats 
(two)  from  Bridgeport  to  Kelly's  Ferry,  eight 
miles  below  here,  thence  to  Chattanooga  by 
wagons,  crossing  the  river  twice  on  pontoons. 
General  Turchin's  crossing,  and  the  movement 
by  General  Hooker's  army  opened  up  this  new 
route.  We  hope  now  to  keep  well  supplied. 

My  reports  for  August  and  September  were 
forwarded  to  Washington  some  time  since, 
and  before  they  were  mailed,  were  examined 
by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Paul,  our  corps-commis 
sary,  who  pronounced  them  "all  correct  and  up 

103 


snug."     Am  now  at  work  on  October  papers, 
and  shall  have  them  off  in  about  a  week. 

In  accordance  with  the  intention  expressed  in 
my  last  letter,  I  sent  forward  my  resignation 
on  the  first  day  of  November.  When  it 
reached  department-headquarters,  it  was  re 
ferred  to  Lieutenant-Colonel  Simmons,  chief- 
commissary.  I  saw  Colonel  Simmons  this 
evening.  He  says  he  cannot  approve  it,  but  on 
the  contrary,  he  should  disapprove  it,  insisting 
that  this  army  could  not  spare  a  single  commis 
sary  at  present.  He  urged  me  to  hold  on  until 
the  present  campaign  was  over,  or  at  least  un 
til  the  emergency  of  short  rations  was  past.  I 
agreed  to  remain  until  matters  were  a  little 
easier.  Colonel  Simmons  will,  therefore,  hold 
my  resignation  until  I  see  him  again.  Thus 
the  matter  rests.  I  concluded  (wisely  I  think) 
that  it  was  better  to  fall  in  with  Colonel  Sim 
mons'  views  than  to  incur  his  displeasure  by 
insisting  that  he  forward  my  resignation  now. 
His  disapproval  would  kill  it.  I  feel  confident, 
however,  that  I  shall  be  able  to  get  out  of  the 
service  between  now  and  New  Year's. 

The  Confederates  shell  us  every  day.     The 
shells  burst  above  our  house,  and  around  it  in 

104 


every  direction,  but  so  far  none  has  struck  the 
building. 

CHATTANOOGA,  TENN. 
THURSDAY,  Nov,  12,  1863. 

Referring  to  my  book,  I  find  I  have  not  writ 
ten  you  since  the  3d  of  this  month.  Please  par 
don  this  neglect.  I  have  been  extremely  busy 
getting  off  my  papers  for  October. 

My  citizen  clerk  started  north  yesterday  and 
I  am  left  alone.  Captain  Robbins,  our  bri 
gade  provost  marshall,  has  been  quite  sick  for 
the  past  month  and  has  gone  home  on  sick- 
leave.  My  clerk,  who  has  been  very  home 
sick,  determined  to  accompany  him.  I  am 
sorry  to  lose  him  just  now,  for  if  my  resigna 
tion  should  be  accepted,  I  might  be  delayed 
somewhat  in  looking  up  a  clerk  to  close  my  ac 
counts. 

Have  done  nothing  more  towards  getting 
my  resignation  through,  but  shall  attend  to  it 
to-morrow,  or  next  day.  I  assure  you  I  shall 
do  everything  in  my  power  to  achieve  success, 
for  I  am  very  anxious  to  return  to  civil  life. 
My  prospects  for  a  good  business  position  de 
mand  that  I  should  be  at  home  before  the  first 
of  January. 

Resignations  here  are  quite  common.    Many 

105 


of  my  friends  and  acquaintances  have  retired. 
Colonel  Lane,  Eleventh  Ohio,  of  our  brigade; 
Colonel  Humphrey,  Eighty-eighth  Indiana; 
and  Captain  Edsall,  Thirtieth  Indiana;  the 
first  two  for  business  reasons,  the  third  on  ac 
count  of  poor  health. 

The  long-wished-for  paymasters  have  ar 
rived,  and  in  the  course  of  a  week  our  troops 
will  be  paid  up  to  3ist  of  October. 

Our  communications  with  the  North  are  now 
very  good;  railroad  to  Bridgeport,  steamboat 
to  Kelly's  Ferry,  eight  miles  below  here,  thence 
to  Chattanooga  in  wagons.  Boats  cannot  run 
up  to  this  place  because  of  the  enemy's  bat 
teries  on  Lookout  Mountain.  Rations  are  com 
ing  up  very  well.  Our  next  issue  will  be  full 
rations. 

I  am  sorry  that  I  cannot  accept  your  invita 
tion  to  Thanksgiving  dinner.  Uncle  Sam  has 
a  prior  claim  upon  my  time  and  will  insist  on 
my  remaining  here  and  dining  with  his  happy 
family. 

CHATTANOOGA,  TENN. 
SUNDAY,  Nov.  15,  1863. 

Lieutenant  Porter  at  headquarters  told  me 
that  Henry's  resignation  has  been  received.  I 

106 


am  glad  Henry  has  resigned,  for,  with  a  lame 
right  hand,  the  service  would  be  a  hard  life  in 
deed. 

I  met  on  the  street  to-day  Arthur  Reed, 
nephew  to  Hugh  B.  Reed.  He  has  a  stock  of 
goods  at  Nashville,  and  is  trying  to  arrange  to 
ship  a  portion  to  this  point  for  sale. 

Received  three  months'  pay  to-day. 

If  my  resignation  leaves  here  by  i8th  No 
vember,  I  ought  to  get  it  back  by  8th  Decem 
ber.  I  shall  then  be  relieved  from  duty,  and 
eight  or  ten  days  will  be  required  to  finish  up 
my  papers.  I  shall  consider  myself  extremely 
fortunate  if  I  get  away  as  soon  as  the  2Oth  of 
December. 

Weather  good.  Troops  still  on  three-quarter 
rations. 

Everything  points  to  a  movement  of  some 
kind  to-morrow. 

There  is  a  report  that  General  Sherman's 
army,  with  my  old  regiment,  One-hundredth 
Indiana,  has  reached  Stevenson. 

CHATTANOOGA,  TENN. 
THURSDAY,  Nov.  19,  1863. 

I  saw  Lieutenant-Colonel  Simmons  to-day 
and  had  him  approve  my  resignation,  which  I 

107 


then  took  myself  to  department  headquarters. 
It  will  start  for  Washington  in  to-morrow's 
mail.  If  acted  on  there  immediately,  an  an 
swer  may  be  expected  about  loth  December. 
The  resignation  was  dated  Oct.  3ist,  and  was 
forwarded,  without  comment,  through  the  dif 
ferent  headquarters.  On  reaching  department 
headquarters  it  was  referred  to  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Simmons,  chief-commissary.  His  en 
dorsement  was  dated  to-day,  and  was  in  these 
words;  "Respectfully  forwarded,  approved.  I 
have  detained  this  paper  some  time,  in  hopes  I 
might  be  able  to  persuade  Captain  Williams  to 
withdraw  it,  but  without  avail."  This  endorse 
ment  shows  that  I  was  worth  to  the  commis 
sary  department  at  least  a  small  effort  to  per 
suade  me  to  remain.  They  thought  at  depart 
ment  headquarters  that  it  would  probably  be 
accepted  at  Washington. 

The  reasons  I  set  forth  were; 
" First:  General  ill  health,  occasioned  by  fre 
quent  derangement  in  the  action  of  the  liver 
and  digestive  organs,  renders  me  unfit  for 
service  in  the  field. 

Second :  Matters  at  home  of  a  private  and 
delicate  nature,  which  require  my  personal 
attention,  render  it  not  only  desirable,  but 

108 


make  it  an  absolute  duty,  that  I  should  at  once 
withdraw  from  the  service." 

CHATTANOOGA,  TENN. 
FRIDAY,  Nov.  27,  1863. 

The  last  few  days  have  been  eventful  for  this 
army.  On  the  23d,  about  noon,  the  entire  army 
moved  out  to  the  line  of  our  out-posts,  and 
drew  the  fire  of  the  enemy's  batteries  on  Mis 
sionary  Ridge.  On  the  24th  all  was  quiet  in 
front,  but  on  the  right  General  Hooker 
stormed  and  took  Lookout  Point,  and  General 
Sherman  crossed  the  river  on  our  extreme  left, 
at  the  point  where  Missionary  Ridge  touches 
it.  On  the  25th  General  Sherman  opened  the 
fight  on  the  left  and  kept  it  up  until  after  noon. 
At  3  o'clock  p.  M.  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland 
moved  in  the  centre  toward  the  Ridge,  drove 
the  Confederates  from  their  breastworks  at  the 
foot  of  the  hills,  and  steadily  climbed  the  steeps, 
without  a  single  halt.  In  one  hour  and  a  half 
from  the  time  they  started,  they  were  on  the 
top,  completely  routing  the  Confederates,  and 
capturing  thirty-five  pieces  of  artillery  and 
thousands  of  prisoners.  It  was  the  most  bril 
liant  feat  of  arms  during  the  war.  With  hun 
dreds  of  other  spectators  I  stood  upon  the  para- 
109 


pet  of  Fort  Wood  and  enjoyed  a  magnificent 
view  of  the  whole  battle  —  a  grand  panorama. 
The  day  was  clear  and  bright,  and  with  the  aid 
of  a  glass,  our  flags  and  our  bayonets  could  be 
seen  slowly  and  surely  climbing  their  way  to 
the  top.  I  might  continue  in  the  service  all  my 
life  and  never  have  such  a  fine  view  of  a  battle 
again. 

General  Turchin  and  staff  are  safe.  The  bri 
gade  has  now  gone  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy. 
Turchin's  brigade  alone  captured  ten  pieces  of 
artillery. 

Our  forces  lost  heavily  in  officers.  I  rode 
over  the  battle-field  yesterday,  and  went  to  the 
extreme  left  where  Sherman's  army  was  en 
gaged.  My  old  brigade,  Colonel  Loomis  com 
manding,  was  in  the  fight.  Did  not  see  them, 
for  they  had  gone  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy,  but 
in  the  hospital,  nearby,  I  found  many  of  my 
officer-friends,  lying  wounded.  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Heath,  wounded  in  the  breast  by  a 
shell,  and  one  captain  and  three  lieutenants 
wounded,  all  of  the  One-hundredth  Indiana. 
Captain  Harlan  of  the  One-hundredth  was 
killed.  Of  the  Twelfth  Indiana,  Captain  Ave- 
line  and  Casper  Miller  (brother  to  George  Mil- 
no 


ler),  both  of  Fort  Wayne,  were  killed.  The 
wounded  were  three  captains,  one  lieutenant, 
and  Lucien  Barbour  of  Fort  Wayne.  The  lat 
ter  was  shot  in  the  cheek,  carrying  away  a  part 
of  the  lower  jaw  and  three  teeth.  The  field- 
officers  and  Captain  Nelson,  Lieutenant  Go- 
down,  and  Jim  Bird  are  safe.  Captain  Nelson 
is  said  to  have  behaved  very  bravely.  I  also 
saw  Adjutant  Bond,  who  was  struck  on  the 
head  by  a  splinter  from  a  tree,  and  for  a  while 
rendered  unconscious.  He  will  doubtless  re 
cover.  I  found  several  officers,  whom  I  knew 
when  in  General  Sherman's  army,  viz;  Brig 
adier-General  Corse,  formerly  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  of  the  Sixth  Iowa,  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Gilmore,  of  the  Twenty-sixth  Illinois,  and 
Major  Ennis,  of  the  Sixth  Iowa.  My  old  bri 
gade  is  in  Ewing's  division. 

I  saw    Captain   Aveline's   grave.      He   was 
killed  instantly  by  a  ball  through  the  head. 

I  have  not  attempted  any  description  of  the 
battle,  but  refer  you  to  the  newspaper  accounts. 
Our  victory  was  complete,  and  the  results  must 
be  very  important.  We  cannot  any  longer  at 
tribute  General  Grant's  success  chiefly  to  good 
luck.  Our  prisoners  number  six  thousand 
five  hundred,  and  are  still  coming  in. 
ill 


Three  steamboats  are  now  running  between 
Chattanooga  and  Bridgeport. 

Henry's  resignation  was  accepted  on  the  23d. 

CHATTANOOGA,  TENN. 
TUESDAY,  DEC.  8,  1863. 

Stephen  Bond  has  been  here,  and  has  taken 
home  with  him  his  brother,  Adjutant  Bond, 
who  was  slightly  wounded,  and  is  now  doing 
well.  Mr.  Barbour  also  came  for  his  wounded 
son,  and  Mr.  Aveline  for  the  body  of  his  son, 
Captain  Aveline.  They  left,  two  or  three  days 
ago. 

The  Twelfth  and  One-hundredth  went  with 
General  Sherman  to  the  relief  of  General  Burn- 
side  at  Knoxville. 

Day  before  yesterday  General  Turchin,  with 
his  staff,  went  to  the  top  of  Lookout  Mountain. 
Splendid  view.  The  Confederates  from  that 
point  could  see  everything  we  did.  We  saw 
.there  General  Hooker,  who,  for  the  first  time, 
went  up  to  take  a  view  of  the  ground  he  had 
so  gallantly  fought  over,  on  the  24th  Novem 
ber. 

CHATTANOOGA,  TENN. 
SUNDAY,  DEC.  13,  1863. 

Father  writes  that  Henry  intends  to  sail  for 
Europe  on  the  16th  with  Mr.  Judd  of  Chicago, 
112 


our  Minister  to  Berlin.  Henry  will  join  Mont 
gomery  Hamilton,  and  they  will  study  at  some 
German  University  during  the  winter. 

Being  without  a  clerk,  I  made  out  alone  my 
reports  for  last  month.  My  business  is  so  sys 
tematized  that  I  can  get  along  fully  as  well  now 
without  a  clerk  as  I  did  formerly  with  one. 

My  friend  Tucker,  assistant-quartermaster, 
is  now  in  the  Railroad  department  at  Nashville. 

Nothing  new  here.    All  quiet. 

CHATTANOOGA,  TENN. 
SATURDAY,  DEC.  19,  1863. 

Our  old  brigade  passed  through  here  yester 
day  on  their  way  from  Knoxville  to  Bridge 
port.  These  troops  have  seen  very  hard  ser 
vice,  having  marched  almost  constantly  since 
leaving  Memphis,  making  in  all,  between  seven 
and  eight  hundred  miles.  The  men  have  but 
one  blanket  each,  are  without  overcoats,  and 
many  are  barefooted,  and  this  too,  when  the 
weather  is  cold  enough  to  freeze  hard  every 
night.  The  march  from  here  to  Knoxville  was 
made  without  wagons,  and  the  men  therefore 
had  no  tents  to  protect  them,  and  no  utensils  to 
cook  with.  During  the  last  three  weeks  only 
four  days'  rations  were  issued  to  them,  the  bal- 

113 


ance  being  taken  from  the  country  (destitute  as 
it  is),  through  which  they  passed.  Yet,  I  am 
told,  the  men  stood  it  all  without  a  murmur. 
Such  suffering  was  necessary  to  save  Burn- 
side  and  Knoxville.  The  privations  of  our 
brave  men  were,  as  we  now  know,  not  endured 
in  vain. 

The  officers  say  the  most  of  the  people  be 
tween  here  and  Knoxville  are  undoubtedly 
loyal. 

Colonel  Loomis,  commanding  brigade,  Col 
onel  Williams  (Twelfth),  Major  Johnson 
(One-hundredth),  and  other  officers  (ten  in 
all)  took  dinner  with  me  yesterday.  Major 
Johnson  and  five  others  stayed  with  me  all 
night.  I  also  met  Major  Baldwin  and  Lieuten 
ant  Godown  of  the  Twelfth,  but  missed  seeing 
Captain  Nelson.  Colonel  Williams  spoke  in 
the  highest  praise  of  the  conduct  of  Captains 
Nelson  and  Aveline  in  the  late  fight,  and  Col 
onel  Loomis  commended  in  the  warmest 
terms  the  good  behavior  of  the  One-hundredth 
during  the  battle. 

The  men  look  hardy  and  well,  but  are  some 
what  pulled  down  by  their  severe  march. 

It  is  not  known  exactly  where  the  brigade 
114 


will  winter.    I  suppose  at  Bridgeport,  or  Hunts- 
ville. 

CHATTANOOGA,  TENN. 

DEC.  30,  1863. 

On  the  23d  my  resignation  papers  were  re 
turned  from  Washington  to  General  Thomas 
with  an  endorsement  requesting  that  I  be  re 
lieved  from  duty  in  order  that  I  might  settle  my 
accounts.  Yesterday  I  received  General 
Thomas'  order  relieving  me  from  duty.  Lieu 
tenant  Donahoe,  formerly  acting-commissary 
of  the  brigade,  which  was  merged  into  ours, 
takes  my  place  to-morrow.  After  I  settle  my 
accounts,  which  will  require  five  or  six  days,  I 
shall  have  nothing  to  do  but  await  the  accept 
ance  of  my  resignation.  I  shall,  therefore, 
probably  obtain  a  leave  of  absence.  May  go  to 
Nashville  to  visit  my  friend  Tucker,  captain 
and  assistant-quartermaster,  and  perhaps  to 
Louisville. 

* 

CHATTANOOGA.  TENN. 
WEDNESDAY,  JAN.  6,  1864. 

My  successor  entered  upon  duty  on  the  3ist 
December,  and  since  then  I  have  been  busily 
engaged,  straightening  out  my  business.     My 
115 


clerk,  who  has  been  absent  since  Nov.  loth,  re 
turned  last  night.  He  will  remain  with  me 
until  my  papers  are  completed.  After  that,  he 
will  go  to  Captain  Blair,  depot  commissary  at 
Bridgeport.  By  the  loth  I  hope  to  have  my 
accounts  off.  Shall  then  ask  for  a  leave  of  ab 
sence,  to  await  the  result  of  my  resignation.  I 
might  go  straight  to  Fort  Wayne,  but  I  have 
two  horses  (one  Henry's,  the  other  mine)  to 
dispose  of,  either  to  sell  or,  if  possible,  to  take 
north.  This  will  require  some  little  time  and 
management. 

CHATTANOOGA,  TENN. 
WEDNESDAY,  JAN.  13,  1864. 

My  accounts  were  finished  last  night  and 
mailed  to-day.  I  shall  re-forward  my  resigna 
tion,  and  the  acceptance  of  it  will  probably 
reach  here  between  the  5th  and  loth  of  Feb 
ruary,  until  which  time  I  am  still  an  officer  and 
receive  pay  as  such. 

There  is  nothing  for  me  to  do  here,  and  I 
can,  if  I  choose,  obtain  a  leave  of  absence.  I 
shall  wait,  however,  until  one  of  Henry's 
horses,  out  at  Pikeville  (sixty  miles),  which  I 
have  sent  for,  comes  in,  and  has  been  disposed 
of.  Henry's  other  horse  and  my  mare  cannot 

116 


be  sold  here  to  any  advantage,  and  I  shall  there 
fore  try  hard  to  take  them  north. 

Railroad-trains  are  expected  to  run  here  in 
a  few  days. 

I  am  still  staying  at  the  headquarters  of 
General  Turchin. 

CHATTANOOGA,  TENN. 
TUESDAY,  JAN.  19,  1864. 

I  have  asked  for  a  leave  of  absence  for 
twenty  days,  while  awaiting  the  action  of  the 
Secretary  of  War  upon  my  resignation. 

Have  also  applied  for  permission  to  take 
home  with  me  two  horses,  which  I  trust  will 
be  granted.  The  horses  will  make  my  trip 
home  slow  and  tedious,  as  I  wish  to  attend  per 
sonally  to  their  shipment  from  point  to  point. 
Hope  to  get  away  from  here  by  Thursday. 

The  railroad  was  finished  to  this  place  on  the 
1 4th,  and  since  then  supplies  have  been  arriv 
ing  in  great  abundance.  Passenger-trains  are 
now  running  regularly  between  Nashville  and 
Chattanooga.  There  is  much  energy  manifest 
ed  since  General  Grant  took  command. 

NASHVILLE,  TENN. 
MONDAY,  JAN.  25,  1864. 

I  obtained  leave  of  absence  for  twenty  days, 
beginning  on  the  23d,  and  if  notice  of  the  ac- 
117 


ceptance  of  my  resignation  does  not  reach  Chat 
tanooga,  at  the  expiration  of  that  time,  I  shall 
have  it  extended,  from  time  to  time,  until  the 
matter  is  definitely  settled.  Left  Chattanooga 
with  my  horses  at  five  o'clock  Saturday  morn 
ing.  Reached  here  Sunday  morning.  Am 
waiting  here  for  an  opportunity  to  ship  the 
horses  to  Louisville.  All  the  trains  are  run 
ning  full  with  veteran  soldiers,  going  home  on 
furlough.  May  have  to  wait  here  a  day  or  two 
longer. 

My  friend,  Captain  Tucker,  assistant-quar 
termaster,  is  here  on  duty  at  the  railroad  de 
pot.  I  am  staying  with  him,  which  makes  it 
pleasant  for  me.  As  usual,  I  have  run  across 
many  old  acquaintances.  Met  this  morning 
Charles  De  Graw,  of  New  Jersey,  now  a  lieu 
tenant  in  the  Thirteenth  United  States  Infan 
try.  I  was  with  him  in  the  Edgehill  school,  at 
Princeton,  more  than  ten  years  ago,  and  had 
never  seen  him  from  that  time  until  now. 

LOUISVILLE,  KY. 
THURSDAY,  JAN.  28,  1864. 

The  horses  were  shipped  from  Nashville, 
Tuesday,  on  steamboat  America,  with  the  Sev 
enty-fourth  Ohio.  Yesterday  I  came  here  by 

118 


train.    The  boat  bringing  the  horses  will  hardly 
reach  here  before  Saturday  or  Sunday. 

CINCINNATI,  OHIO, 
WEDNESDAY,  FEB.  3,  1864. 

When  ill  Louisville,  I  thought  of  going  home 
by  way  of  Indianapolis.  Afterwards  conclud 
ed  it  would  be  more  convenient  to  ship  the 
horses  from  here,  so  I  let  them  come  through 
on  the  same  boat  on  which  I  placed  them  at 
Nashville,  and  I  followed  on  the  mail-boat,  ar 
riving  here  Monday  morning.  Shipped  horses 
to-day  to  Lima,  Ohio,  and  I  shall  start  in  the 
morning  at  seven  o'clock. 

Have  put  in  the  time  pleasantly,  visiting 
friends. 

FORT  WAYNE,  IND. 
FRIDAY,  FEB.  5,  1864. 

Left  Cincinnati  yesterday  morning,  and 
reached  home  at  ten  o'clock  at  night  (on  a 
freight  train  with  the  horses  from  Lima). 

After  being  thirteen  days  on  the  way  with 
my  horses,  I  am  here  all  safe  and  sound.  I 
hope  I  am  thankful  for  the  good  providence 
that  has  attended  me  during  the  long  seven 
teen  months  of  army  life. 
119 


COMPILED  FROM  THE  RECORDS 

of  the 

WAR    DEPARTMENT,    WASHINGTON, 
D.  C. 

Edward  P.  Williams  entered  service  as  First 
Lieutenant  and  Adjutant  of  the  One-hundredth 
Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  Aug.  28,  1862. 
Regiment  organized  at  Fort  Wayne,  Ind.,  and 
mustered  in,  Sept.  10,  1862.  Left  State  for 
Memphis,  Term.,  Nov.  10,  1862.  Attached  to 
Second  Brigade,  District  of  Memphis,  Thir 
teenth  Corps,  Department  of  the  Tennessee, 
November  and  December  1862.  First  Brigade, 
First  Division,  Right  Wing,  Thirteenth  Corps, 
Army  of  the  Tennessee  to  January,  1863.  First 
Brigade,  First  Division,  Sixteenth  Corps, 
Army  of  the  Tennessee,  to  June,  1863.  Served 
detached  as  aide-de-camp  to  Colonel  John  A. 
McDowell  commanding  First  Brigade,  Jan.  i, 
1863  to  Feb.  28,  1863,  and  on  staffs  of  Generals 
J.  W.  Denver  and  W.  Sooy  Smith,  command 
ing  First  Division,  Sixteenth  Corps,  to  June, 
1863. 

SERVICE. 

General    Grant's    Central    Mississippi    cam 
paign,  operations  on  the  Mississippi-Central- 
120 


Railroad  to  the  Yocknapatalfa  River,  Nov.  26, 
1862  to  Jan.  10,  1863.  At  Collierville,  Tenn. 
and  along  Memphis-and-Charleston  Railroad 
until  June.  Movement  to  Vicksburg,  June 
7-17.  Appointed  and  commissioned  Captain 
and  Commissary  of  Subsistence,  U.  S.  Volun 
teers,  to  date  from  June  i,  1863,  and  ordered 
to  report  to  General  Rosecrans  commanding 
Department  of  the  Cumberland.  Assigned  to 
staff  of  General  John  B.  Turchin,  commanding 
Third  Brigade,  Fourth  Division,  Fourteenth 
Corps,  Army  of  the  Cumberland,  to  October, 

1863,  and    First    Brigade,*    Third    Division, 
Fourteenth  Corps  to  February,  1864.     Partici 
pated    in   the    Chickamauga   campaign   Aug.- 
Sept.  1863,  battle  of  Chickamauga  Sept.  18-21, 
siege  of  Chattanooga  Sept.  2zj.-Nov.  23,  battles 
of  Lookout  Mountain  Nov.  20-24,  Chattanooga 
Nov.  23-25,  Missionary  Ridge  Nov.  25.     On 
duty   at    Chattanooga   until   February,    1864. 
Absent  on  leave  until  May.    Resigned  May  19, 

1864,  and  honorably  discharged  from  service. 


*  In  the  reorganization  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumber 
land,  October  1863,  General  Turchin's  brigade  was  made 
the  First  in  the  Third  Division,  Fourteenth  Corps. 

121 


Edward  P.  Williams,  Captain  C.  S.,  U.  S.  Vols. 
Elected  a  Companion  of  the  First  Class 

in  the 

Military  Order  of  the  Loyal  Legion  of  the 

United  States,  through  the  Commandery 

of  the  State  of  Ohio, 

October  3,  1888. 

Transferred  to  the  Commandery  of  the  State 

of  New  York,  November  25,  1890. 

(Insignia  No.  6434.) 


122 


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